Indo-Pak talks: Pak media hails new era of co-op

"Pakistan-India relationship: New era dawns in ties," read the headline in the Express Tribune daily, a day after the meeting between External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar in New Delhi.

The Daily Times said in its headline that "Pakistan, India promise `new era` of cooperation, Relations back on track", while the right-wing daily The Nation`s headline read: "India willing to talk Kashmir."

"Pakistan, India revive search for enduring dialogue process," the Dawn headline said.

On yesterday`s talks, The News said that Pakistan and India are to enhance trade and ease visa regime. The two sides "vow to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir," it said.

The Urdu press had almost similar coverage, with the headline in the leading Jang daily saying: "Pakistan, India agree to reduce differences over Kashmir."

`Nawaiwaqt` newspaper reported that "Kashmiris will get six-month multiple visa, talks for peaceful Kashmir solution will continue."

"As the Indian media swooned over Hina Rabbani Khar`s social graces and fashion sense, Jane Birkin handbag, Chanel sunglasses, her pearls and her diamonds, substantive gains were made in the people-to-people component of India`s relations with Pakistan in her talks with Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna," The Express Tribune said.

The Nation reported that the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, at the conclusion of their talks, hailed a new chapter in relations and agreed to work more closely in fighting terrorism in the region and easing cross-border commerce and travel.

The Dawn said the two Foreign Ministers "revived the pursuit of an `uninterruptible` dialogue process on Wednesday though both sides were aware of a nagging hurdle ? their wavering trust."

"India and Pakistan`s Foreign Ministers insisted relations were back on track after peace talks that highlighted a `new era` of cooperation over the ruptures of the past," the liberal Daily Times reported.

The News said that the two Foreign Ministers ushered in a new era of ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours yesterday and agreed to fight militancy and boost trade and travel, a step forward in reducing tension in the region.

The pro-military Pakistan Observer reported: "Pakistan and India have agreed to carry forward the dialogue process with a view to resolving peacefully all outstanding issues through constructive and result-oriented engagement, and to establish friendly, cooperative and good neighbourly relations."

After talks between their Foreign Ministers, India and Pakistan announced new Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), including increasing cross-LoC trading days and expanding travel to include tourism and religious aspects, apart from relaxing permit conditions for travel by people of Jammu and Kashmir to the other side of LoC by having a system of six-month multiple entry.