Hours after receiving a formal invitation from his Pakistan counterpart Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali for a visit to his country, Vajpayee wrote back to him, saying that careful preparations were needed for a "meaningful engagement at the highest level", Spokesman for External Affairs Ministry Navtej Sarna told media here.

In the letter, which indicated that India would not rush into summit-level talks with Pakistan, Vajpayee reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to improvement of bilateral relations, for which there was an immediate need for an end to "cross border terrorism" against India and dismantling of "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan.

In a cautious and calibrated reply to Jamali, Vajpayee expressed his hope that Pakistan would respond "positively" to his announcement in parliament on Friday.

Vajpayee announced in parliament that his government had decided to send a high commissioner to Islamabad and resume civil aviation links with Pakistan on a reciprocal basis.

Answering questions, Sarna said that "it is quite clear that for a meaningful engagement, there has to be careful preparations on the ground."

In his letter, Sarna said, Vajpayee recalled his statement a day earlier, in which he said that India had repeatedly expressed the need to create a conducive atmosphere for a sustained dialogue.

The spokesman confirmed that Vajpayee had received Jamali's letter, which was handed over to India's acting high commissioner I. C. A. Raghavan in Islamabad.

Vajpayee's reply "is on its way now to the high commission in Islamabad to be handed over to Prime Minister Jamali's office," Sarna added.

(People's Daily May 4, 2003)