Pakistani delegation heads for India for official talks

February 25, 2010 - 0:0

ISLAMABAD (Xinhua) -- A Pakistani delegation has left for New Delhi on Wednesday for official talks with India, which has been halted by the 2008 Mumbai attacks in the Indian commercial center.

A 6-member Pakistani delegation, led by Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, left for New Delhi on Wednesday morning for the talks.
""There is no fixed agenda for the talks and it will open to discuss every issue and nothing is excluded,"" Bashir told reporters prior to departure.
He said that the long-standing dispute over Kashmir and differences over distribution of water are important issues which will be discussed. ""There are other bilateral issues,"" he said but did not specify.
""The engagement is important as it is after a long suspension of the dialogue process,"" said the Pakistani Foreign Secretary, adding that the main focus will be on disputes over water.
Pakistan said that India is building dams in its controlled part of Kashmir which is affecting water flow into the country. ""We will discus a comprehensive procedure to resolve disputes,"" Bashir said.
The Pakistani delegation was comprised of six officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and one expert each from Ministry of Water and Power and Ministry of Interior.
But on Tuesday, due to the Indian demand, two more members of Foreign Ministry replaced interior and water ministries officials.