President Mohammmad ZiaulHaq will go to India on a State visit on Dec. 16 next, reports BBC.

According to the radio the President had confirmed that he had received an invitation from ndian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to visit India. He had accepted the invitation.

APP adds: President Mohammad ZiaulHaq and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi held talks for half an hour at the AlBustan Palace in Muscat on Monday.

Later talking to newsmen, President ZiaulHaq and the Indian Prime Minister described the talks as “very good.”

President ZiaulHaq siad that these talks were held in a “very good atmosphere of friendship”, like the previous three rounds of dialogue with Mr. Rajiv Gandhi. He was confident that these talks would lead to improvement of relations between Pakistan and India.

The President hoped that the Indian Prime Minister would also play his expected role in this connection.

Meanwhile, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi said that his talks with President Zia pertained to the bilaterial  problems and identification of areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Talking to newsmen after the talks, the Indian Prime Minister said that these were “very good talks.”

Asked about the process of normalization of relations between the two countries the Indian Prime Minister said “mood is there for the normalization on both sides.”

Questioned on the “no war pact” offered by Pakistan and the Indian proposal for friendship treaty Mr. Rajiv Gandhi said, “We are talking about both.”

Asked about the substance of the talks the President said that all those points which could or could Not contribute towards bettering the ties between the two countries were covered during the talks.

He mentioned talks of Dr. Mehbubul Haq, Federal Minister for Finance and Planning and Development who returned from New Delhi on improvement of trade Relations between Pakistan and India before his departure for MusCat, and hoped that this would lead steps for expansion of trade relations between the two countries.

The President noted that his next meeting with the Indian Prime Minister would be held at Dhaka during the SARC meeting Mr, Rajiv had invited him to visit India and if he found time he would avail of the Opportunity on his return from the SARC meeting,

President ZiaulHaq was assiSted in the talks by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs MI. Zain Noorani, while the Indian Prime Minister was assisted by Indian Foreign Secretary, Bhandari.

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