Amid border tensions, Sartaj Aziz, Khurshid to meet tomorrow

India and Pakistan will hold bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the ongoing ASEM meet in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will meet Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz tomorrow evening.

This is the first high-level contact between India and Pakistan after Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif met in New York in September.

During the New York meeting, both leaders decided to ease tensions at the border that separates both countries.

Cease-fire violations, however, continue unabated and the Line of Control (LoC) remains tense.

India has categorically stated that restoration of peace at the LoC is a pre-requisite for any productive dialogue between the two sides.

New Delhi is also miffed over Islamabad's go slow on the probe against accused involved in the November 26-29, 2008 terror strike on Mumbai.

Aziz told ANI on Sunday that, "We are also trying to maintain peace between the two countries"

According to diplomatic sources, Aziz has also sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Opposition parties in general, and the BJP in particular, have questioned the rationale behind the holding of the talks with Pakistan.

They have also been attacking the UPA-II Government's Pakistan policy.

On Sunday, Aziz met representatives of several Kashmiri separatist groups, including Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Asiya Andrabi Aziz.

He reportedly assured them about Pakistan's intention to continue to highlight the Kashmir issue on all foras.