'Dr Singh's J&K remarks hav positive elements'

Pakistan on Monday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks in the Round Table Conference on Kashmir contained many positive elements.

"We have seen Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statements and there are many positive elements in those statements and there are a number of steps that are being taken in search for a solution for the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is acceptable to India, Pakistan and more important, the people of Kashmir," Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in reply to questions on Dr Singh's remarks at the Delhi Round Table Conference.

"What is important is that Pakistan and India continue to talk and work towards finding a settlement to the Kashmir dispute, which is acceptable to people of Kashmir and reflect their aspirations," she said.

President Pervez Musharraf has already said that as and when an acceptable solution is found, it would be shared with Parliament and public, she added.

She, however, declined to speculate when that stage be reached, saying that it would not be appropriate for her to get into that.

About the India-Pakistan talks on other subjects of the fourth round of composite dialogue process, Aslam said talks on Sir Creek would be held in Rawalpindi on May 17 and 18 and Wullar Barrage on June 26 and 27 in New Delhi.

Dates for the remaining subjects are yet to be finalised, she said.

The fourth round had started with the talks between Foreign Secretaries Shiv Shankar Menon and Riaz Muhammad Khan last month covering Kashmir, peace and security and CBMs. It was followed by defence secretary-level talks on Siachen.