Islamabad: The Indo-Pak dialogue process is going on the right track and the atmosphere is good, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said today (July 20, 2004).

"The talks are going on smoothly. They are on the right track and we are satisfied," Singh told reporters shortly after the inaugural session of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) Council of Ministers in Islamabad. Asked how optimistic he was about the resolution of outstanding issues by the two countries, he said "aage aage dekthe hain kay hota hai" (let us see what happens in future). The atmosphere is good", he said.

On whether he saw any change in the atmosphere, Singh, who was Pakistan's Ambassador during 1980-82, philosophically said "there is lot of greenery".

He said Islamabad has become a beautiful city and that a number of new buildings have come up since he left.

Singh returns to Islamabad after a gap of 16 years. He was last here in 1988 when he accompanied then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for the SAARC Summit.