Sattar, Jaswant held a series of meetings

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf cut through the speculation on talks between Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers yesterday like a knife through butter when he announced with characteristic frankness at a press conference yesterday that "a series of meetings have been held".

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Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf cut through the speculation on talks between Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers yesterday like a knife through butter when he announced with characteristic frankness at a press conference yesterday that "a series of meetings have been held".

The backroom negotiations were also conducted at the highest level, although Musharraf said his own meetings with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were "not one-on-one " but had greatly contributed to lowering tension between the two nations.

Speaking to the press after the concluding session of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, Musharraf told a press conference here that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh had held several meetings during the three day-summit that brought seven South Asian leaders together.

Asked whether the two foreign ministers discussed India-Pakistan tensions, he said: "When the foreign ministers sat together, they couldn't only discuss the weather, could they?"

"They spoke of matters of interest to both countries and what could be of more interest right now," Musharraf added.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Sattar said that "contacts and conversations have taken place throughout the summit. They have been exploratory in nature. We were not involved in negotiations."

Sattar is reported to have met Singh four times separately since the began on Friday.

Saturday night's meeting was reported to have been conducted with two aides, one each from the Indian and Pakistani sides in a room that was specially set aside for them.

Neither Indian or Pakistani officials would officially confirm that the talks were held, saying repeatedly that talks were neither "substantive" or "bilateral".

The Pakistani president became the first to confirm that talks were held. More importantly, Musharraf said of his meetings with the Indian prime minister: "We sat at the same table, in the same room. We had informal interaction and look forward to formalising this interaction in the future."

Musharraf said he viewed the Indian prime minister as a "friend", and refused to attack the man he has described as a "visionary" by saying "if I was to react to all statements coming from across the borders, tensions will only rise. That is not our desire. This rhetoric must be curtailed."

Musharraf said those who indulged in rhetoric were "irresponsible".

He also said that "while tensions between the two countries had not eased, they have definitely lessened".

"One hopes it is a breakthrough," he said of the talks, adding that he hoped to see "formalised interaction taking place soon."

On the current tensions between the two countries which have mobilised troops to the border and brought them to the brink of war, he said "there should be an immediate reduction of tension".

He said he seeks a longer-term approach of addressing all disputes in an amicable manner in the interests of the people of the region. "I do not believe in cosmetic actions, all this cricket diplomacy and bus diplomacy. These are peripheral shows. I believe in direct, genuine interaction," he added.

On U.S. intervention in settling the crisis he said "if you can call appeals to defuse the tension and urging further dialogue as interference by the U.S., then they have been doing so", adding that he, however, welcomed the U.S. offer for a special envoy to the sub-continent if it led to a solution of the India-Pakistan dispute.

Commenting on the Kashmir issue, the Pakistan president said: "There is cause and effect. You cannot keep talking about the effect without discussing the cause. You have to deal with them together."

Musharraf restated his government's refusal to hand over the 20 men India has demanded for alleged involvement in various crimes unless Pakistan was given evidence. He would take action against any group, organisation or individual carrying out terrorist activity from Pakistani soil, he said in line with Pakistani law.

Musharraf, left Kathmandu en route to the Chinese city of Chengdu from where he is expected to fly home. The circuitous route, which delayed his arrival was a direct result of India's decision to cut air links with Pakistan.

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