ISLAMABAD, Dec 25: Pakistan will propose new ideas on the Kashmir issue as well as additional nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures at the foreign secretary-level talks opening here on Monday, it is learnt.

The foreign secretaries will be in talks for two days to discuss the two-point agenda of Jammu and Kashmir and peace and security.

This will be the fifth meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries this year and fourth in the context of the ongoing composite dialogue process.

The Pakistan side will be led at the talks by Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar and the Indian side by External Affairs Secretary Shyam Saran.

"Pakistan will put on the table some additional proposals on nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures as well as float fresh ideas pertaining to the Kashmir issue," sources told Dawn on Saturday.

Both sides will review the progress made so far in the talks and are expected to agree to set a calendar for meetings on the other six items included in the composite dialogue.

Pakistan is likely to advocate early start of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and reiterate its demand for the Jinnah House in Mumbai to set up its consulate.

India had told Pakistan in June that instead of the Jinnah House it would show some other government buildings for lease to house the consul-general's office and residence. However, the sources said, the Indian government had only shown commercial properties that were not considered appropriate by Pakistan. It was about six months back when Pakistan and India decided to re-open their consulates in Mumbai and Karachi.

The Baglihar dam dispute would also figure in discussions, the sources said.

The word from the Pakistani side is that it will enter the talks with an open mind.

"We would like the Indian side to seriously consider the proposals on peace and security and on Kashmir, and we hope Indians will show willingness to move forward and not remain mired in rigid positions," officials said.

"We would like to join them (Indians) in an earnest search for solutions to the Kashmir issue for sustaining the dialogue and making it move forward meaningfully on Kashmir," they added.

Sources warn that the dialogue will remain stalemated if the current Indian public position on the Kashmir issue continues.

Considering the hardening of the Indian position on Kashmir as reflected in the latest statements by its leadership in the Lok Sabha, it appears the Indian foreign secretary will carry the same brief.

While some predict it will be 'more of the same', others say the talks will indicate the inclination of the Indians on the Kashmir issue. "It will give the Pakistani side a good idea of the degree of India's seriousness of intent to move towards the final settlement of the Kashmir dispute," sources maintained.

On Kashmir the new Indian leadership has been advocating autonomy and soft border, a proposal rejected by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Analysts point to the 1975 Abdullah-Indira Gandhi accord in which the former had abandoned the demand for plebiscite and agreed to settle for autonomy but later the autonomy was not given. Kashmiris say nothing short of independence from the Indian rule will be acceptable to them.

AFP adds: Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran arrived in Lahore on Saturday for talks nuclear confidence building measures and said he hoped to make progress on other thorny issues as well.

"This time the main focus would be on building mutual trust in nuclear and conventional fields and to counter narcotics trafficking," Mr Saran told reporters before crossing over to Pakistan through the transit point of Wagah.

Previous rounds of talks on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus route hit obstacles with India insisting passengers carry passports and Islamabad opposing the call.

Mr Saran sounded upbeat, saying differences on issues had been narrowed. "We have already narrowed down differences on issues like visa relaxations, which has already produced good results," he said.