Vajpayee for more steps to resume Indo-Pak talks

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday said some more steps would be taken to help build an atmosphere of trust to resume dialogue with Pakistan.

"Some steps have already been taken and some more will be taken to create an atmosphere of trust so that dialogue could start," he told reporters at the airport here shortly before leaving for a tour of Germany, France and Russia where he will interact with world leaders including American President George W Bush.

Vajpayee said that halt to terrorism and dismantling of terrorist infrastructure by Pakistan was essential to help resumption of dialogue.

Vajpayee's remarks came less than 24 hours after the Indian government announced Monday night its decision to restore the bus service between New Delhi and Lahore, signaling restoration of road link between India and Pakistan snapped by New Delhi following the December 13, 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament.

Indian Foreign Ministry, in a surprise announcement Monday evening, said the government has decided to approve revival of Delhi-Lahore bus service on bi-weekly basis as soon as details were worked out by technical authorities of the two countries.

The foreign ministry statement also announced the decision to release 130 Pakistani civilian prisoners, including 70 fishermen, now in Indian custody.

Vajpayee, during his three-day visit to Germany beginning today, will hold discussions with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, President Johannes Rau and meet captains of German industry.

On May 30, Vajpayee flies to St Petersburg to attend the tricentenary celebrations of the historic northern Russian city along with 46 heads of states and governments.

The Indian Premier then travels to Evian, France, where he, along with heads of states and governments of 11 other countries, will attend an informal summit with top leaders of the Group of eight industrialized countries. Brazil, China and Malaysia are among the other countries invited to Evian.

The Evian meeting is of particular significance for Sino-India ties as Vajpayee would have a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Official sources here say this meeting would set the tone for Vajpayee's visit to China in the first week of next month.