Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] is likely to visit Pakistan early next year, a Pakistan newspaper has reported.

The Siachen and Sir Creek issues are expected to be settled, the report said.

'The dates for Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan have already been decided. It would take place in end of February or most likely in March,' a report in The Dawn, said quoting officials.

'The predictions are that Siachen and Sir Creek issues would be settled and some tangible progress on the issue of Kashmir is likely during Singh's trip,' it claimed.

Some key disputes between the two countries could be settled in the first quarter of 2007, the report added.

Talking about the significance of Dr Singh's visit to Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri in a recent interview had said: 'Pakistan and India have been talking. At least we should try and make the visit of Manmohan Singh to Pakistan more constructive. That should be the objective of both the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan.

"If you ask me what should be the immediate target, the foreign ministers should make sure that the next visit takes place quickly as President (Pervez) Musharraf has already visited India. That is why I am talking of a visit of Singh. It is the turn of the prime minister. I hope both I and [External Affairs Minister Pranab] Mukherjee will be able to achieve that," he said.

Today's report about the likely visit of Singh early next year came even as Kasuri traveled to New Delhi on a private visit to attend the wedding of the daughter of Union Minister Manishankar Aiyer.