India on Thursday proposed two additional bus routes between India and Pakistan, but firmly ruled out redrawing of boundaries or fixing "artificial deadlines" for resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir [Images] issue.

The 2 sides decided to continue the composite dialaogue process and commence the third round by the end of this year and agreed to sign an agreement on pre-notification of ballistic missiles when foreign ministers meet in Islamabad early October.

India, Pak to notify missile tests

India has proposed bus routes between Lahore [Images] and Sir Hind (Ludhiana), and Kargil and Skardu, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told a press conference in Islamabad after wide-ranging talks with his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan to set the stage for the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and President Pervez Musharraf [Images] in New York on September 14.

He said both sides had agreed "in principle" to increase the frequency of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and that hotline between the two foreign secretaries would be set up soon.

The two sides have also agreed to hold technical-level talks for operationalising the Poonch-Rawalkot bus link, Saran added.

Saran said India was prepared to explore "all possible means" with Pakistan to come to a "mutually acceptable solution" to Kashmir issue.

He said that during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday evening, he had conveyed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's message that India was determined to address all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir issue, with Pakistan.

Indo-Pak talks: Terrorism high on agenda

"It was also conveyed that as far as India was concerned, the parameters within which we can address the Kashmir issue are well known. The prime minister has himself articulated these parameters. It is not possible to look at the redrawing of boundaries or concessions in territorial terms", Saran said.

India, he said, believed that both countries had an obligation to minimise the "negative consequences" of the lines drawn on the map, on the people on both sides of the border to make their lives easier.

Asked about Musharraf's statements insisting on a timeframe for the resolution of the Kashmir issue, he said, "the Pakistan President has not put any deadline to us on any issue between India and Pakistan" and added, "putting artificial deadline is not the way to go about it."

Saran said the two sides had also finalised the text of a memorandum of understanding between the Indian Coast Guard and Pakistan Maritime Agency for communication links between them. This could be signed during the visit of External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh to Islamabad from October 3-5.

Observing that he was "very satisfied" with the discussions, Saran said it had set the stage for a "very constructive" and "very productive" meeting between Musharraf and Singh in New York on the sideline of United Nations General Assembly session.

India says 'noticeable progress' in talks with Pak

Asked whether the issue of Sarabjit Singh, sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan was raised, Saran said it was not just the issue of 1 prisoner but a humanitarian issue of so many prisoners on both sides.

To a question on India thinning its troops in Jammu and Kashmir, he said there was adverse security situation in that region because of cross-border terrorism, attempts at infiltration
and violent terrorist incidents.

"Unless, the security situation improves, the question of redeployment of security forces really does not arise," he asserted, adding "terrorism and violence cannot go hand-in-hand with the peace process."

Ruling out any trilateral dialogue on the Kashmir issue, he said there was an elected government in the state and the doors were open for those who wished to contribute to the stability and peace in the state.

To a question, Saran clarified that the agreement on pre-notification of missile testing did not include cruise missiles.

Disagreeing with a questioner that there has been a slowing down in the pace of the peace process, Saran said the progress had been satisfactory.