With the controversy over Indo-Pak cricket series settled, a delegation of senior officials from the government of India including the foreign secretary are set to reach Pakistan over the next few days to rekindle the dialogue process between the two nuclear rivals.

According to sources in the Ministry of External Affairs, the decision to go ahead with the cricket series was supported by their ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, while the Home Ministry and Bharatiya Janata Party wanted it to be postponed to a date after the general elections. The decision was also prompted by United States Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca who on February 13 conveyed the American concerns over the ongoing peace process suffering from postponement of cricket series.

According to reports, Rocca also made a silent visit to Islamabad before reaching Delhi, and was told of Pakistani concerns over the cricket series being threatened by internal politics of India.

A MEA official said that Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Arun Kumar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, director general (South Asia) in the Pakistan Foreign Ministry Jalil Abbas Jilani would talk on February 16 and 17 about reactivating the Composite Dialogue process. "It would on the lines similar to the 1998 format," an MEA official told rediff.com.

Between March 1997 and September 1998 foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan met several times to work out the composite dialogue formula which was announced in New York in September 1998. (See details in box)

Sources said officials from various ministries that have stakes in the Indo-Pak relations are accompanying Arun Singh. These would include representatives from the Ministries of Defence and Home, besides others.

According to sources, India would try and push the start of Composite Dialogue process beyond March-April period, not just because of elections but also because they want to wait and watch the cross-border infiltration after snow melts in March.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shashank will visit Islamabad to sum up the two-day consultations that would seek to put back the entire Composite Dialogue process back on track and set future dates for talks. Shashank would hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Khokhar on February 18.

During the two-day talks between Arun Singh and Jilani, the two sides would refer back to the results of the latest consultations on various aspects of the Indo-Pak peace process and "firm up" the shape of various parts of the Composite Dialogue. "They could also finalise the dates for other ministries on their concerned part of the composite dialogue process," said an official.

A senior MEA official said the government decision to go ahead with the cricket series would provide a 'cheerful' atmosphere to the three days of consultations in Islamabad.  

More reports on the peace talks

More reports from Pakistan