The two countries had appointed one main working group to tackle the problems with three technical level groups to assist it. The working group will be composed of Foreign Secretaries.
Addressing a news conference on the conclusion of the one-day sitting and a working lunch, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar said that the Secretaries would report to the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and India in August this year enabling them to review the progress and report back recommendations for their principals for further action.
The issue of Kashmir and confidence-building measures would receive priority and would be taken by the Foreign Secretaries at their meeting which may be held in May or June next to discuss the issues concerning peace and security in the region.
Thereafter, they would meet in July to thrash out other thorny problems like the Wullar barrage/Tulbul navigation project, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic and commercial co-operation and promotion of friendly exchanges in various fields.
In between now and June, a joint statement read out by Riaz Khokhar said, three "technical level meetings" would be held.
The first to meet will be the Director-general of Pakistan Rangers and Inspector-general of Indian Border Security Force in March or April, to be followed by experts on nuclear confidence-building measures in May, and the final would be a committee meeting on drug trafficking and smuggling in June.
The joint statement was silent about the composition of the second and third fora, but it is understood that the two countries would nominate their representatives for these in the coming months.
After reviewing the "existing links between the Directors-general of military operations of Pakistan and India" the two sides, according to the joint statement, agreed to consider measures for further strengthening of contacts.
Khokhar told a questioner that dates and venues for future meetings between him and Indian external affairs secretary Shashank, technical level meetings and those of ministers would be settled through diplomatic channel. The meeting between Kasuri and Sinha would be preceded by a one-day conference of foreign secretaries.
Answering a barrage of questions at a crowded media conference, Riaz said that discussions had taken place in a very "cordial and good" atmosphere and signalled the realisation in the two countries that war was no option for solution of problems.
Answering a question whether the two secretaries had discussed the erection of a fence on the line of control by India, Khokhar said it was not, but would be, discussed when the issue of Kashmir comes up for discussion.
He said that the attitude of the Indian delegation to the three-day meetings was very constructive and the result was a "road map to the peace process" which should eventually lead to a durable peace between the two countries.
Replying to another question, the foreign secretary said that no foreign elements, including the United States, had attended their meetings though a number of countries were lending a helping hand for the success of the process.
He said that the officials meeting had not gone into substantive aspects of the issues as it was not the purpose of their meetings. They had got together to draw a timeframe and settle the modalities, which had been achieved.
He said he had found the attitude of his "distinguished colleague" from India very constructive, and advised his audience to wait for the commencement of a composite dialogue to begin with the meeting of foreign secretaries in May or June.
Khokhar said that the current attitude was positive and "we want to maintain that attitude so that whatever is mandated to us leads to positive conclusion".
Following is the text of the Joint Statement:
"The Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India met in Islamabad on February 18, 2004.
"They reviewed and endorsed the agreement worked out at the Director General/Joint Secretary level meetings on February 16-17 on the modalities and timeframe for discussion on all subjects on the agenda of the Composite Dialogue.
"Both sides agreed that they would approach the composite dialogue with the sincere desire to discuss and arrive at a peaceful settlement of all bilateral issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, to the satisfaction of both sides. They reiterated their commitment to promote progress towards the common objective of peace, security and economic development for their people and for future generation.
THEY AGREED TO THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE OF MEETING:
i) Foreign Secretaries would meet in May/June 2004 for talks on peace and security including CBMs and Jammu & Kashmir.
ii) Talks on Siachen; Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project; Sir Creek; Terrorism and Drug Trafficking; Economic and Commercial Cooperation; and Promotion of Friendly Exchange in Various Fields would be held at the already agreed levels, in July 2004.
"The following technical level meetings would be held earlier:
a. Meeting between Director-General Pakistan Rangers and Inspector-General Border Security Force in March/April 2004.
b. Expert level talks on Nuclear CBMs in the latter half of May 2004.
c. Committee on Drug Trafficking and Smuggling in June 2004.
"They reviewed the existing links between the Directors-General Military Operations of Pakistan and India and agreed to consider further strengthening these contacts.
"The Foreign Minister of Pakistan and the External Affairs Minister of India would meet in August 2004 to review overall progress. This would be preceded by a one-day meeting of the Foreign Secretaries".