Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Resumption of Foreign Secretary level Talks between India and Pakistan

October 16, 1998

Japan welcomes that the foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan were resumed on October 15 (Thu.) in Islamabad.
These foreign secretary level talks are being held for the first time since May when India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests. I hope that the talks will solidify the process of dialogue aiming to achieve détente between the two countries, promote mutual understanding and improve their bilateral relationship, and that further progress will be seen.

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Although tensions between India and Pakistan rose after the nuclear testing in May, the two countries continued to discuss at the summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on July 29 as well as at the summit meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on September 23 the modalities by which to resume dialogue.
As a result of talks between the foreign secretaries held after the summit meeting in September, the two countries agreed to hold foreign secretary level talks from October 15 to 18 in Islamabad, and they also agreed on the mechanism of resumed dialogue.
The two countries agreed to address substantially and peacefully through the agreed mechanism all the eight fields agreed in June 1997. At the foreign secretary level talks starting on October 15, "peace and security" and "Jammu and Kashimir" will be discussed. As for the other fields, separate meetings will be held in Delhi in the first half of November.
Since the nuclear testing in May, Japan has urged India and Pakistan to participate in the international nuclear non-proliferation regime including by signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and has encouraged both countries to engage in dialogue for the peace and security of the region.

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