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India for positive dialogue with Pak
Tribune News Service

Meanwhile, the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr Vijay Nambiar, arrived in the Capital last night for consultations with the political leadership and officials of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Not much expected from summit: Sattar

New Delhi, June 14
Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar today said it was not possible for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf to “arrive at a final settlement’’ on the Kashmir issue in a matter of two days.

“If the two leaders have a meeting of minds with regard to the destination and the direction and the modalities of reaching that destination, then there are hopes that their summit meeting will produce a breakthrough, especially on the long-standing dispute over Kashmir,’’ he said in an interview to the BBC.

“We hope that the two leaders will recognise the reasons and the causes that have kept us apart, that have made us from near to distant neighbours, and they will address the root cause of the tension,’’ Mr Sattar said.

However, he made it clear that if “we talk about militancy, terrorism and secessionism, we will reach nowhere. Our expectation is that the two leaders will discuss as to how we approach a solution that is acceptable to the Kashmiri people.’’

The minister, who was on an official visit to London to brief the British leaders on Pakistan’s stand on the talks and over the Afghanistan issue, was hopeful that Mr Vajpayee and General Musharraf, who would expected to meet in the first half of July, would approach the Kashmir questions in a constructive and positive spirit.

Asked about Pakistan’s approach to the talks, Mr Sattar said “we are going there with a postive spirit. We are hoping that the difficulties in the relations are identified.’’

He said the Pakistan Government had suggested that the All-Party Hurriyat Conference be consulted as “its (Hurriyat) opinion was important for seeking a satisfactory solution to the problem’’. On the question of restoration of democracy in his country, Mr Sattar said his government was committed to the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment which asked for establishment of democratic rule by October 2002. UNI 

Musharraf visit may be for 2 days

New Delhi, June 14
The summit meeting between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf is likely to be of two days, official sources said here today.

The sources said General Musharraf was likely to visit India in mid-July after the Prime Minister fully recovered from his knee surgery. 

“Mid-July is a good guess. The Prime Minister will be fully active in the first week of July,” the sources said adding that the visit may be for two days. Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Vijay Nambiar, is in the Capital for preliminary consultations. UNI

‘Solution should fulfil Kashmiris’ aspirations’

Islamabad, Jun 14
Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, who is gearing up for the summit meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, tonight said no solution to the Kashmir issue would be acceptable if it did not fulfil the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

General Musharraf said this during a meeting with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Prime Minister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary as part of consultations with political leaders ahead of the summit.

The General also met the Chairman of 16-party Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, Nawabzada Nasarullah Khan, and discussed matters relating to the summit. PTI