The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet at Thimphu in Bhutan today. They are in Bhutan to attend the SAARC Foreign Secreatries meeting also beginning today. New Delhi said they are going into the talks with cautious optimism and with reasonable expectations. Refusing to comment on the latest statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman, sources said the foreignsecretary did not want to say anything that would vitiate the atmosphere and expressed the hope that Pakistan will approach the talks in a similar spirit. Admitting that one meeting cannot lead to solutions, they said it will help pave the way for solutions. Stressing that there are no good or bad times for talks, sources said that the Thimpu talks will provide yet another opportunity to engage in dialogue. They also said that India is willing to discuss all issues but it cannot be bound by any timelines.SAARC Foreign Secretaries will begin their deliberations at Thimpu in Bhutan today ahead of the Foreign Ministrers meeting which willl be held from Tuesday. Joint Secretary (SAARC) Pawan Kapoor said that the entire gamut of issues of cooperation, including health, education, and poverty alleviation will come up at the meeting of Foreign Secretaries of the eight SAARC member nations today. The Indian proposal for South Asian Forum, and the Bangladeshi proposal for Charter of democracy will also be discussed. Issues related to counter terrorism, the economic integrity of member nations, food security and progress in the implementation of the SAARC Development Fund apart from others issues are also expected to come up. Talking to our correspondent Sarita Brara, SAARC Secretary General Sheel Kant Sharma said that a number of SAARC-funded projects are making good progress.
News On AIR | February 6, 2011 9:38 AM
Foreign Secretaries of India, Pak meet in Thimphu today