India, Pakistan discuss additional CBMs for Kashmir

India and Pakistan today considered introducing additional confidence building measures across the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir, including pilgrimage, bank facilities for bilateral trade and six-month multiple entry permits for people-to-people contact.

India and Pakistan on Thursday considered introducing additional confidence building measures (CBMs) across the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, including pilgrimage, bank facilities for bilateral trade and six-month multiple entry permits for people-to-people contact.

HT Image

These issues came up for discussion for the biannual cross-LOC CBMs working group that met in Islamabad.

The meeting took place in pursuance of the decision taken at the foreign secretary level talks here on July 4 and 5, 2012, when Pakistan foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jeelani met his counterpart Ranjan Mathai, in preparation for foreign minister-level talks later in 2012.

A joint statement issued on the occasion said that Thursday's meeting was held in "a cordial and constructive" atmosphere.

"The two sides reviewed the progress since the last meeting of the joint working group on cross-LoC CBMs and discussed modalities for strengthening and streamlining the existing trade and travel arrangements across the LoC. They also discussed modalities for introducing additional cross-LoC CBMs," the statement said.

These talks come ahead of a visit by external affairs minister SM Krishna scheduled in September 2011.