New Delhi: Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan will be held on June 27 and 28, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh announced today (June 1, 2004).

Singh announced that his first foreign visit as the External Affairs Minister will be to Nepal on June 4 and 5.

He said Nepalese Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa had called him up recently and invited him to visit Nepal at the earliest.

Asserting that peace process with Pakistan would continue, Singh said India supported its re-entry into the Commonwealth.

He said the apprehensions that the new Government will change the country's policy towards the US are unfounded and that the bilateral ties would be strengthened.

Asserting that the country wanted a closer acrimony-free and multi-faceted relationship with the United States, Singh said he has spoken to the US Ambassador to India about the same.

He said there was a need to further "strengthen, deepen and widen" relationship with United States.

Admitting that there were "differences" with US, the External Affairs Minister said they will not be aired publicly but rather "addressed diplomatically and tactfully".