Date: 27/06/2008

AGREED OUTCOMES OF THE TWO MINISTERS' MEETING IN NEW DELHI  

During my discussions with our distinguished colleague, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, we have agreed and taken note of the following:

1. The Fifth Round of the Composite Dialogue would be launched on 21-22 July 2008 with discussion on:

i. Peace and security including CBMs.

ii. Jammu and Kashmir

The Foreign Secretary of Pakistan will visit New Delhi for this meeting.

2. The Technical Working Group on cross LoC Confidence Building Measures will meet in Islamabad on 10 July 2008 to concretize decisions regarding bus services, trade and truck services across the LoC announced in May 2008.

3. The Technical Working Groups of the India Pakistan Joint Economic Commission complete their meeting such that the Joint Commission could meet by the end of the year.

4. The respective Deputy Chairs of the Indian and Pakistan Planning Commission had felt that an institutional mechanism for regular dialogue and exchange of views between them would be useful. The modalities and framework can be evolved through mutual consultations.

5. We also noted the detailed discussions which took place on issues such as wind and thermal power and power supply arrangements and issues. The mutually beneficial cooperation in Rapid Mass Transport Systems – in particular the Metro – was also noted.. We hope that these discussions will be followed up by concrete proposals for bilateral cooperation.

6. After completing their visit to jails in Pakistan, the India Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners will now visit jails in India in the month of July to make further recommendations with regard to issues concerning prisoners and fishermen in custody. We agreed that the work of the Judicial Committee has proved to be an effective way to proceed with the issues arising from prisoners and fishermen in custody and hope that the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee would speedily address the humanitarian aspects of this issue.

7. We noted that the Railway authorities had agreed to increase interchange of rakes to five daily from current levels of two daily. The proposal opening the Khokhrapar – Munabao route in freight was also discussed and will be examined.

8 We noted that the third meeting of the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism was held in Islamabad on 24 th June. We decided that the meetings would henceforth be held regularly.