Meeting between the leaders of India and Pakistan

Gauracandra · July 15, 2001

Agra summit 'cordial and constructive'

July 15, 2001 Posted: 7:16 PM EDT (2316 GMT)

By CNN's John Raedler

AGRA, India (CNN) -- The leaders of India and Pakistan have described talks during a bilateral summit as "cordial, frank and constructive."

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met twice on the opening day of their summit in the shadows of the fabled Taj Mahal.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Nirupama Rao said both sides at the summit had agreed to that description, also announcing that Gen. Musharraf had invited his host to visit Pakistan and that Vajpayee had accepted.

No details were given as to when the visit would take place, nor were any details announced about what issues the two leaders discussed or what differences might have emerged between them.

Leaks suggest the talks were wide-ranging and were partly devoted to setting up mechanisms for future negotiations.

There was no official word on the extent to which the leaders discussed the disputed territory of Kashmir -- the most bitterly divisive issue between them.

India and Pakistan have fought two all out wars over Kashmir and are in almost constant conflict over the mostly Muslim region, parts of which they both occupy.

Kashmir violence continues

Meanwhile, violence was reported in the disputed Himalayan region, during Musharraf's planned three-day visit to his nuclear rival.

The Indian army exchanged gunfire with Kashmiri militants near the line of control Sunday night, according to Indian police.

The police said they recovered 18 bodies of Kashmiri militants believed to have entered the village of Hillkaka Mandy from the Pakistani-controlled side of Kashmir and mounted the operation.

Muhammed Yahah Mujahid, a leader of a main Pakistan militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba told CNN he has checked in with most of the militant groups and all have reported "no losses from their side."

Delegates accompanying both leaders at the summit were tight-lipped least they say something that might jeopardize the talks that continue Monday.

Monument to love

The highlight of Sunday's events happened away from the summit.

Between the two private meetings with his summit partner, Gen. Musharraf accompanied his wife on a tour of the nearby Taj Mahal.

It is reported that Mrs. Musharraf has always wanted to see the so-called "monument to love."

A heartbroken King built the renowned structure more than 350 years ago as a tomb for his wife -- who died bearing their 14th child.

The Musharrafs spent nearly an hour on a guided tour of both the outside and the inside of the Taj.

With no hard news coming from the talks, the local news media have been full of peripheral analysis.

Body language

Musharraf has chosen a military style greeting during his visit

One such issue has been Gen. Musharraf's habit of saluting when a wave seems more appropriate.

Another is the body language of the trim, energetic Gen. Musharraf versus that of the Mr. Vajpayee who is old enough to be his guest's father.

One thing most analysts agree on, though, is the way in which both leaders have conducted themselves. In the words of one commentator, so far they have acted as "consummate statesmen."

The summit moves into its second and last day Monday.

Gen. Musharraf is scheduled to return to Islamabad late Monday after visiting a Muslim shrine in western India.

Musharraf arrived Saturday for the state visit, marking the first time in more than a decade that a Pakistani head of state has stepped on Indian soil.

CNN's Nic Robertson, Satinder Bindra and Kasra Naji also contributed to this report