The first round of Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan on peace and security including confidence building measures (CBMs) concluded on Sunday with both sides presenting a slew of proposals.
The talks held at Hyderabad House between the two delegations led by Foreign Secretary Shashank and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Khokhar lasted three-and-a-half hours.
An external affairs ministry spokesman said the talks were held in a 'positive' and 'constructive' atmosphere and ideas and proposals were exchanged.
"We have some CBMs on table like result of expert level talks on nuclear CBMs and proposals out of that," he said.
Other proposals include better communication and humanitarian concerns, he added.
The spokesman said the two foreign secretaries also discussed issues of humantarian concerns.
On the nulcear CBMs, he said the two sides discussed the draft proposal worked out at the expert level meeting held recently.
"The foreign secretaries will carry forward the nuclear negotiations," he said and added that comments from the Pakistani side on the draft proposal were still awaited.
He, however, refused to take many questions saying that the talks were still in progress and he would be able to answer many of the queries only tomorrow.
The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus link is among issues on the table and "fresh issues" were also discussed, he said, adding the plans on these would be shared only after the talks end tomorrow.
The proposals are aimed at creating mutual trust and better understanding between the two sides, he said.
"We are hopeful talks are going to move forward," he added.
But the foreign secretaries will face the real test tomorrow when they discuss the contentious issue of Jammu and Kashmir amid high concerns in New Delhi over continued acts of terrorism in the border state.
Taking up the five-decade old vexed issue after a gap of six years, Foreign Seceretary Shashank and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Khokhar will have to do some tight-rope walk.
Domestic political compulsions in both countries will be high on their minds as neither of the two sides would want to be seen as having compromised or given concessions on Kashmir.
On its part, New Delhi has made it clear that the benchmark would be Pakistan's sincerity in honouring its pledge not to allow its territory for use by terrorists against India.
The Indian side will be presenting a comprehensive package, including suggesting dates for technical level talks for establishing bus link between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The November 25 ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC), International Border and extended Actual Ground
Position Line (AGPL) in Siachen is expected to come up for review during the discussions.
Giving indications of Pakistan's approach on Kashmir, Khokhar said on his arrival here that this "fundamental issue" and other matters would be discussed with "great sincerity and seriousness".
Though Khokhar side-stepped a question on Pakistan pressing for involvement of Kashmiris in the dialogue process, he has met separatist leaders of the valley, including hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Shah and Yasin Malik who have demanded that the talks be made tripartite.
India has made it clear that there cannot be any compromise on its basic position on Jammu and Kashmir and that it remained determined and totally committed to resist terrorism and violence until it is decisively eliminated.
The new government has emphatically stated that all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, would be discussed bilaterally with Pakistan under the 1972 Simla Agreement and subsequent accords and understandings.
This also covers the January 6 joint statement when the two sides agreed to resume the composite dialogue process following a meeting between then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad on the sidelines of the SAARC summit.
At the same time, New Delhi also recognises the futility of the parleys being used as an occasion to repeat stated positions on Kashmir.
The recent Secretery-level talks on Bhagliar Hydel Project is also expected to come up for review.