India, Pakistan talks begin in Delhi

"Expectations are high on both sides,'' Foreign Secretary Salman Haider said as India and Pakistan resumed a dialogue after a gap of more than three years.

Before beginning their discussions on Friday, the delegations, led by Haider and Pakistan Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmed respectively, called on External Affairs Minister Inder Kumar Gujral .

Although the Pakistanis are expected to concentrate on Kashmir, other issue which will figure during the talks will be the conflict on the Siachin Glacier, the Tulbul navigation project, Sir creek, trade, cultural exchanges and making South Asia a nuclear free zone.

The resumption of dialogue between the two countries signals the easing of tension in their relations. However, Pakistan appears determined to put the Kashmir issue on top of the agenda for the four-day talks.

After he arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening, Ahmed circulated a statement to the press, saying there was an urgent need to meaningfully address all outstanding issues, particularly the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, India's viewpoint is that the Kashmir issue should not be allowed to overshadow the talks and the two countries could always try to first resolve their differences on less contentious issues.