New Delhi's deliberately low-key response to Sharif is of a piece with its view that responsible states don't indulge in nuclear blackmail. And now that it is receiving the unusual support of the international community, it wants to continue to keep the reasonable posture.

It appears, however, that the two sides are continuing to disagree over the agenda of the talks. While Jaswant Singh has clearly said that ``armed intrusion'' along the LoC can be the only point on the agenda, the line from Islamabad is that the entire Kashmir issue should be discussed. Officials here today also ruled out the possibility of New Delhidiscussing any other issue, besides the Pakistani-sponsored intrusion. So far no new dates have been proposed for Sartaz Aziz.