Indo-Pak Foreign Secy-level talks today
21 Jul 2008, 0941 Hrs

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New Delhi, July 21 (ANI): The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will begin the fifth round of composite dialogue here today.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will lead the talks with his Indian counterpart Shivshankar Menon.

The two sides are expected to discuss confidence-building measures (CBMs), peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, including the launch of truck service and more bus services.

Other issues like prisoners release, visa relaxation, trade and commerce will also be considered in the discussions.

Terrorism is expected to be the dominant theme of the talks in the backdrop of increase in infiltration attempts and terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. They will also exchange views on all eight components of the composite dialogue and work out the schedule of meetings for the next one-year.

The meeting takes place in the shadow of the July 7 bomb attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul. Efforts to build mutual trust received a setback last week when India's National Security Adviser MK Narayanan blamed Pakistan's intelligence service for the suicide attack on Indian embassy in Kabul killing 41 people, including two Indian diplomats.

The two countries resumed the composite dialogue during External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Islamabad in May. (ANI)