India, Pakistan Cite Progress in Talks

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — India and Pakistan reported progress yesterday in normalizing relations after their first high-level talks since Pakistan's election of a civilian government. A two-day visit by the Indian external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, yielded no breakthrough in the countries' disputes over the region of Kashmir or on border issues. The rivals' main accomplishment was an accord giving each government consular access to its citizens held in the other country's prisons, according to Mr. Mukherjee and the Pakistani foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The visit marked the first talks between senior officials of South Asia's biggest military powers in 14 months. The previous round was canceled because of the political turmoil that forced President Musharraf to end military rule by resigning. Two years after the nuclear-armed rivals came close to war, Mr. Musharraf began the normalization process with Prime Minister Singh of India. His political decline left many Indians wondering whether his civilian successors would continue it.