The meeting comes two weeks after the two countires resumed peace talks and set up a joint panel to fight terrorism and curb tensions.
Updated at 3.58pm
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan need to develop trust as their relations are very important, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said on Monday after his meeting with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
After the informal luncheon meeting with Mukherjee, Kasuri said he was happy to see a senior Congress leader in charge of External Affairs Ministry as it would help in the task that the two sides are engaged in.
"We both agreed that India-Pakistan relations are very important. We need to develop trust," Kasuri told reporters with Mukherjee standing by his side.
Mukherjee will travel to Pakistan on January 13 to invite President Pervez Musharraf for the SAARC summit to be held here in early April and hold "substantive talks" with Kasuri.
Kasuri said he had developed trust with Mukherjee's two predecessors -- Natwar Singh and Yashwant Sinha -- whom he met during the last two days. "I am looking forward to developing similar trust with him (Mukherjee)," the Pakistani Foreign Minister told the mediapersons but no questions were taken by either of them.
Kasuri is here on a private visit to attend the marriage of daugther of Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.
He said he was happy to see a "very senior Congress leader" as External Affairs Minister. "It gives me great hope because whatever we have to do, it requires people, politicians, who are strong," he said, adding after meeting Mukherjee he had "greater hope".
Kasuri said the two Foreign Ministers had "very heavy responsibility".
Mukherjee said he was happy to host lunch for Kasuri who is "not on a formal visit". The Pakistani guest said he enjoyed the hospitality.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}