ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 24 (UPI) -- Pakistan's foreign secretary hosted his Indian counterpart for talks Thursday in Islamabad aimed at improving trust between their countries.
The talks between Pakistan's Salman Bashir and India's Nirupama Rao followed a meeting in New Delhi in February.
The two countries are trying to restart their peace process terminated after the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed about 170 people.
India says the attacks were planned by the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba and other terror groups based in in Pakistan. Pakistan currently is trying seven suspects for alleged involvement.
The prime ministers of India and Pakistan have directed Rao and Bashir to prepare the agenda for a meeting of their foreign ministers July 15, the Press Trust of India reported.
"We are going there with a clear-eyed understanding of these difficulties and their complexities," Rao had said prior to the talks, PTI reported. She was referring to the various periods of tensions that have marred relations between the two countries since they became independent in 1947.
She stressed the core concern of terrorism was high on her mind as she approached the talks, PTI reported.
Pakistan also was expected to bring up Kashmir and the sharing of river waters.
Pakistan's Daily Times quoted official sources as saying Islamabad wants to start a new phase of talks to discuss all outstanding issues.
The foreign secretary-level talks were held a day before Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram's arrival in Islamabad to attend the meeting of the interior ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
