Indian External Affairs Secretary Shayam Saran thinks that Pakistan's reference on Baglihar dam to the World Bank is "premature" but has hopes that it will still be possible to continue bilateral talks on the issue. Addressing a news conference at Indian Media Centre organised for the coverage of Natwar Singh's visit to Islamabad, Saran said that his country considered Baglihar multipurpose project in line with the Indus Waters Treaty.
"We believe the project is in terms with the Treaty," he observed, and added that his country did not have any intention to harm Pakistan. "There are wrong apprehensions here that India wants to deny Chenab waters to Pakistan or wishes to inundate it one day", he said.
He said that the only time an intense technical review of the project was taken was during last meeting, which had remained inconclusive and then Islamabad referred it to the World Bank.
About the pace of the Composite Dialogue and especially the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, Shayam Saran expressed satisfaction and said these are complicated matters and one has to "walk steadily in measured steps".
He said that moves for their solution had to be made keeping in view the public opinion in both countries.
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