In an attempt to set the stage before Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshis possible visit in early part of this year,a meeting between Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistan counterpart Salman Bashir is likely to take place next month in Thimphu,Bhutan. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vishnu Prakash on Sunday confirmed that Rao is likely to meet her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the SAARC Standing Committee meeting in Bhutan on February 6 and 7. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had last week said that Foreign secretaries of the two countries will meet to clear the ground for a very productive meeting between the two ministers. Pakistan had on Saturday said that Qureshi will visit India if the Foreign secretaries of the two countries evolve a comprehensive agenda for resuming the stalled composite dialogue. Rao last met Bashir in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly session in September,but a meeting between the two ministers didnt happen. They are expected to discuss ways to take forward the stalled talks between the two countries,sources said. It may be noted that the dialogue process was started last year when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan PM Yousaf Raza Gilani had asked the Foreign ministers and secretaries to start talking. Both sides are keen that the ministerial meeting in the next few months,which is expected to take place here,does not go the same way as last years Islamabad meeting in July. Last year,the talks had collapsed after India had maintained that Pakistan needs to act against terrorism originating from its soil,which was Indias core concern,while Islamabad had insisted on discussing all issues,including Kashmir. The Foreign secretaries meeting in February last year had also ended inconclusively,as Bashir had upped the ante in a press conference after the talks. Efforts this time,however,are being made to tone down the rhetoric so that there is some forward movement in the talks. Krishna had said last week in a press conference that the PM is very,very clear that there is no alternative other than talking to Pakistan,keeping them engaged,and thereby sorting out the outstanding issues. In Islamabad,Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told the media on Friday that Pakistan is willing to engage in talks with India but an agenda should be chalked out first by the Foreign secretaries of both countries. Qureshi has said that he will participate in the discussions only if it results in substantial,meaningful and result-oriented talks.
