Wednesday, March 9 2005 10:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: India yesterday (Mar 8, 2005) expressed hope that a tangible solution would be found bilaterally between New Delhi and Islamabad on the issue of the construction of Baglihar power project and reiterated its stand against World Bank's arbitration as wanted by Pakistan.

Asked to comment on the failure of talks on the Baglihar hydel power project being built by India in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Minister for Water Resources Priya Ranjan Dashmunshi said, "I hope that a tangible solution would be found on the issue bilaterally. We are open to talks. I feel it will be taken up bilaterally very soon."

He said, "As far as exchange of notes were concerned, there was no response from Pakistan side. We invited Pakistan to examine the project but they did not respond. We have said that if you (Pakistan) have any reservation about technical matters we are ready to discuss it."

Dasmunshi said, "Sixty per cent of the work is completed on our side and there was no technical fault nor was there any threat to Pakistan."

But Pakistan, he said had unilaterally decided to seek World Bank's arbitration for neutral experts.

Saying that such a move was not justified, Dasmunshi reiterated India's position that the on-going dialogue process should stay on course bilaterally.

"I do not think World Bank's mediation would be an answer," he said, adding that the World Bank had said that it would communicate India's views to Pakistan and similarly Pakistan's views to India on the issue.