Islamabad: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his new Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi today discussed the possibility of scheduling their first meeting to review the fourth round of the Indo-Pak composite dialogue process.

Qureshi stressed the "need and importance of peace and stability in the region for the common benefit of the peoples of the two countries" when Mukherjee telephoned him to felicitate him on assuming office. The Minister thanked Mukherjee and noted the improvement in bilateral relations and confidence-building, said a statement from the Foreign Office.

Qureshi also said Pakistan was "proposing dates for holding the review meetings of the fourth round of the ongoing composite dialogue between the two countries". He added that he looked forward to welcoming Mukherjee to Pakistan for the review meeting. Mukherjee also condoled the death of former premier and Pakistan People's Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December last year.

Qureshi is a senior leader of the PPP, which heads Pakistan's new coalition government. Seeking "just and equitable" resolution to the Kashmir issue, Qureshi said yesterday that his country wants friendly relations with India and noted that there are "signals of reciprocity" from the other side. Regional and economic security, national defence and the "just" resolution of the Kashmir issue will be among the top priorities of his Ministry, he told a TV channel.

Source : PTI