Pakistan Monday said Indian and Pakistani leaders would focus on Kashmir, review the status of the composite dialogue and discuss how to add substance to the process of negotiations during their coming meeting in New York this week.

At the weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would meet Friday on the sidelines of the 39th session of the UN General Assembly.

He emphasized the need to accelerate the pace of progress on the core issue of Kashmir and hoped that the scheduled meeting between the two leaders would give directions to their negotiators for further progress.

Masood dispelled the impression that Pakistan wants any deadline for the process of dialogue but added that there should be a reasonable time frame for solution to their issues.

"The process can not be endless and it should be result-oriented," said the spokesman.

He noted that the dialogue process should be related to the goal of resolving the Kashmir dispute in a manner that promises justice to the Kashmiris and durable peace in South Asia.

India and Pakistan leaders initiated the composite dialogue process early this year to find solution to all their outstanding issues including Kashmir. The two sides have finished their first round of talks in the past months and agreed to continue the dialogue.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2004)