Thursday, April 28 2005 09:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Surprised over a meeting between the European Commission and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) President Anwar Khan in Brussels, India yesterday (Apr 27, 2005) said it was not in consonance with the current development in Indo-Pak ties.

"We are surprised to hear that the delegation from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was received in the European Commission yesterday," Amar Sinha, Minister at the Embassy of India in Brussels, told India News in Europe Programme (INEP).

"This is not in consonance with the current development in our bilateral relations with Pakistan. We are ascertaining further details," he said.

Sinha's comments followed a meeting in Brussels in Tuesday (Apr 26, 2005) between the Director for Asia of the European Commission's External Relations Directorate General, Fokion Fotiadis, and a delegation led by PoK President Anwar Khan.

Commission spokesperson for External Relations, Emma Udwin, said Khan briefed Fotiadis on recent developments in Kashmir and on the ongoing India-Pakistan dialogue.

"The commission took note of this," Edwin said without making further comments.

Khan inaugurated a "Kashmir EU Week" in the European Parliament (EP) on Tuesday, which included a photo exhibition.

The week is a joint initiative of the Brussels-based Kashmir Centre and the All Party Group for Kashmir (APGK) in the European Parliament, whose chair is British member of the European Parliament James Elles of the Conservative party.

In his inaugural address, Elles noted that this was the first such cultural event on Kashmir hosted by the EP.

MEP Philip Bushill-Matthews, also from the British Conservative Party and co-chair of the APGK said "all of us in the EP are determined that the voices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir can be heard loud and clearly here in the EP."

Earlier in a press conference in the European Parliament, Khan thanked the EP and APGK for their Kashmir initiatives saying, "We want the European Union to move in line with the EP."

Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director Kashmir American Council, told the press conference that the recent cricket diplomacy following the visit of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to India was "good and healthy sign".

He, however, stressed that Kashmiri leadership should be included in the talks.

Barrister Majid Tramboo, Executive Director of the Brussels-based Kashmir Centre, called for the formation of an EU trio group on Kashmir under the upcoming British-EU Presidency like the one the EU has with Iran.