Nation and States 

Kashmir: India, Pakistan 
pledge to abide by UN 
charter, Shimla agreement

What is India News Service, 29 June 2004, 1700 hrs

Kashmir figured prominently in talks between India and Pakistan on Monday, and the neighbours announced several confidence building measures to carry the peace process forward. Both sides agreed to continue a "sustained and serious" engagement to end the Kashmir issue.

The two-day official-level talks ended with foreign secretaries of the two countries issuing  a two-page joint statement which said they would abide by the Charter of the United Nations and the Shimla Agreement "in letter and spirit". Pakistan also called for a mechanism to include representatives of the Kashmiri people in future negotiations.

Both countries decided to immediately restore the strengths of respective high commissions to 110, and free all fishermen in each others' custody. They also agreed to conclude an agreement on pre-notification of missile tests. They also chalked out a plan that would allow them to return unintentionally transgressing fishermen and their boats from the high seas.

Officials will continue their composite dialogue sometime between late July and early August. Subjects yet to be discussed are Siachen, the Tulbul navigation project, Sir Creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic and commercial cooperation, and cultural exchange.

Foreign secretary Shashank and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Khokhar discussed Kashmir for two hours on Monday against the four-and-half hour session on Sunday that discussed host of issues. External affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said, "This is a good beginning, a hopeful beginning".

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said the joint statement displayed "a new spirit in the process of peace and reconciliation". He said all sections should respond to it positively including those who still see merit in using violence as a means to achieve political ends resulting in the destruction of the state's economy and loss of innocent lives.

On his return to Islamabad, Khokar said the Kashmiris were a party to the long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan." I am now better educated about their interests, concerns and assessment of the situation," he said.

Upper House elections: BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu, union minister Oscar Fernandes, and B K Hariprasad of the Congress have made it to the Rajya Sabha. Elections to the Upper House were held from Karnataka.

Horse owner M A M Ramaswamy of the Janata Dal (S) has also made it to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, but former chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde's wife lost as the BJP failed to muster the numbers required for her victory.

The results were along expected lines. The Congress with 65 members in the assembly received the additional votes of its ruling coalition partner in Karnataka, Janata Dal (S)  which has 58 MLAs. The support of independents also tilted the scales in favour of Hariprasad and against Shakuntala Hegde. The BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal (United), together have 84 MLAs, but they fell short of eight votes required to see Shakuntala Hegde through.

Death for rape: A district court in Nainital today sentenced four youths to death for raping and murdering a six-year-old girl. The judge said they deserved the death penalty because they had raped a minor. Meanwhile, another man convicted of rape and murder and awaiting execution, has appealed to the president for clemency. The president's office said it had not received details of the case.

Overall:

Neighbours took another step forward: India and Pakistan pledged to settle differences over Kashmir.

Khokar returned to Islamabad: The Pakistani foreign secretary said he now had a better perspective on the Kashmiris' problems.

Naidu was elected: He was among those who won the Upper House elections.

Rapists were convicted: A court sentenced four young men for the rape and murder of a minor.