Sunday, December 26 2004 15:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: India and Pakistan are expected to make fresh proposals on Kashmir and Confidence Building Measures (CBM) along with further liberalisation of the visa regime during the two-day Foreign Secretary-level talks beginning in Islamabad tomorrow (Dec 27, 2004) to kickstart the second round of composite dialogue process.

India is expected to approach the talks with plans to propose a visa-on-arrival scheme, which includes granting visa on arrival to all Pakistani nationals above the age of 65 and children below 12, media reports quoted officials as saying.

"Pakistan will put on the table some additional proposals on nuclear and conventional CBMs as well as float fresh ideas pertaining to the Kashmir issue," local daily 'Dawn' quoted Pakistan Foreign office officials as saying.

"We would like to join them (Indians) in an earnest search for solutions to the Kashmir issue for sustaining the dialogue and making it move forward meaningfully on Kashmir," the officials said.

"We would like the Indian side to seriously consider the proposals on peace and security and on Kashmir and we hope Indians will show willingness to move forward and not remain mired in rigid positions," they said.

When contacted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Masood Khan did not contradict the news of Pakistans plans to float new ideas on both Kashmir and CBMs front but at the same declined to elaborate what the new ideas going to be.

The new Indian proposal if it materialises would ease pressure as visas can be issued at Wagah and Attari border points for old people and school children who want to visit India, the officials said.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shaym Saran, who arrived in Peshawar yesterday (Dec 25, 2004), will hold informal talks with the Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar over dinner tonight (Dec 26, 2004) to broadly discuss the contours of their talks scheduled to be held tomorrow (Dec 27, 2004) and Tuesday (Dec 28, 2004).

Pakistan's plans to float new ideas to resolve Kashmir was significant as Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during his visit to New Delhi in November had denied that Islamabad wants to put forward idea of dividing Kashmir on both sides floated by President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The first round of the Composite Dialogue process initiated by previous Vajpayee Government early this year ended with both sides reiterating their stands on the Kashmir and other contentious issues.

Under the agreed format, Foreign Secretaries of both countries would discuss, peace, security, Kashmir and CBMs.

The rest of the items, Siachen, Sir Creek, Terrorism and Drug Trafficking, Wullar Barrage, Economic and Commercial Co-operation and Promotion of Friendly Exchange in various fields will be discussed by concerned officials. The two Foreign Secretaries were expected to set a calendar for the talks on these issues.