Draft Joint Statement

The text of the draft prepared by Foreign Secretaries Chokila Iyer and Inamul Haque, completed at 4:30 a.m on July 16, 2001.

The President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, paid a State visit to India from 14 to 16 July at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The President was accompanied by Begum Pervez Musharraf. His delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Abdul Sattar and senior officials. The President visited New Delhi, Agra and Ajmer.

2. The President of Pakistan called on the President of India, Shri K.R. Narayanan. President Narayanan hosted a banquet in honour of President Musharraf.

3. The Vice-President of India, Shri Krishan Kant, Prime Minister Shri Vajpayee, Home Minister, Shri L.K. Advani and Minister of External Affairs and Defence Shri Jaswant Singh, and the Leader of the Opposition, Smt. Sonia Gandhi called on President Musharraf.

4. At their retreat in Agra on July 15-16, 2001, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India and the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan held wide-ranging discussions on India-Pakistan relations [including on Jammu and Kashmir]. They affirmed their commitment to address each others' expressed concerns, create an environment conducive to the establishment of peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties, for the welfare of the peoples of the two countries.

[5. The President conveyed to the Prime Minister that Jammu and Kashmir stood in the way of normalisation of relations between the two countries. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to build trust and confidence, to end cross border terrorism, establish a stable structure of cooperation, and address all outstanding issues.]

[5. The President conveyed to the Prime Minister that a settlement of (the) Jammu and Kashmir (dispute in accordance with the wishes of the people of that State) would pave the way for normalisation of relations between the two countries. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to build trust and confidence, (to end cross border terrorism), establish a stable structure of cooperation, and address all outstanding issues.]

[6. There was progress in the discussions towards an understanding of each of others' view points. There was also recognition of the requirement of keeping the door open for future dialogue. There was agreement on continuing the process of dialogue.]

7. The President and the Prime Minister agreed to resume a sustained bilateral dialogue at the political level on:

a) Jammu and Kashmir;

b) Peace and Security including both conventional and nuclear CBMs;

c) Terrorism and Drug Trafficking.

8. In addition, the following will be addressed at the appropriate level of officials of the two countries.

a) Commercial and Economic Cooperation;b) Siachen;

c) Wuller Barrage / Tulbul Navigation Project;

d) Sir Creek;e) Friendly Exchanges in various fields.

The progress on these issues would be reviewed by the External Affairs Minister of India and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan at their meetings.

9. The Prime Minister and the President further agreed and directed that all these issues be addressed purposefully, constructively and [in an integrated manner and] with a sense of urgency.

10. There was also agreement on the following dialogue structure:

a) An annual Summit level meeting;

b) Bi-annual meetings between the Minister of External Affairs of India and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan;

c) Foreign office consultations at the level of Foreign Secretaries.

11. The two sides will support reactivation of the SAARC process [and the holding of the Eleventh Summit at a date convenient to the host country and other Member States of the Association].

12. The President of Pakistan invited the Prime Minister of India to visit Pakistan. The invitation was accepted. Dates would be fixed through diplomatic channels. The President of Pakistan thanked the Prime Minister of India for the warm reception and gracious hospitality extended to him and his delegation during their stay, as well as for the excellent arrangements for the visit.

13. The President and the Prime Minister also agreed to meet again in New York in the last week of September at the margins of the UN General Assembly.

(The square brackets indicated differences for referral to the principals to resolve. They, in turn, assigned the task to the Foreign Ministers who prepared an agreed Draft Declaration by 2 p.m. on July 16.)