S Asia rivals continue key talks

The two foreign secretaries before their talks

India and Pakistan have begun a second day of peace talks with Pakistan, the first since July's train bombings in Mumbai (Bombay).

The foreign secretaries of the two countries held an "extensive and constructive" first day of talks on Tuesday, an Indian spokesman said.

India blamed Pakistan for the Mumbai bombs and suspended the peace process.

The talks focused on ways of combating terror. Analysts say the talks are not expected to produce any major results.

However, the negotiations are being seen as an indication that the peace process between the two South Asian rivals has not been derailed.

Terrorism focus

The Delhi talks are being led by Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart, Riaz Mohammad Khan.

"The talks reviewed the composite dialogue process, Kashmir, and examined ways to implement a proposed anti-terror mechanism that the two countries have agreed to set up," Navtej Sarna of India's External Affairs Ministry told reporters on Tuesday.

Violence in Kashmir on Tuesday left 21 people injured

"A considerable amount of time was spent discussing terrorism," he said.

After July's bombs in Mumbai, India put the peace process on hold until the leaders of the two countries met on the sidelines of the non-aligned summit in the Cuban capital, Havana, in September.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf agreed in Havana to create a joint anti-terrorist "mechanism".

Analysts in India have expressed doubts as to whether such a mechanism will be effective as they argue that Pakistan's intelligence services are supporting militant groups - claims denied by Islamabad.

Before the talks, Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying he "would like that [Pakistan] should stick to assurances which they have given".

Pakistani officials say a resolution to the dispute over Kashmir, which is claimed by both countries, holds the key to militancy in the region.

Pakistan is also seeking progress on a proposed withdrawal of troops from Siachen glacier.

The two armies have been facing each other on this 5,500m (18,500-foot) high battlefield since 1984.

In the latest violence in Indian-administered Kashmir, 21 people were injured in two incidents on Tuesday.

Police said 15 people - seven policemen and eight civilians - were injured in a car bomb explosion near a paramilitary camp in Srinagar.

Earlier in the day, a landmine explosion in the town of Baramullah, wounded an army major, two soldiers and six civilians.

'Near agreement'

The peace process between the two countries started in 2004.

India and Pakistan have said they will work together against terrorism

It stalled in July when bombs on the Mumbai railway killed nearly 200 people. Indian officials said that Pakistani intelligence agencies were involved.

On the eve of the talks, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri called this type of exchange "non-serious allegations" which both sides should avoid.

Mr Kasuri told the BBC that Pakistan had waited many months for India to provide evidence of Pakistani involvement.

On the subject of the Siachen glacier, Mr Kasuri said there were still some differences.

But he insisted the two sides were near agreement on Siachen despite "certain circles in India [who] objected".

He said he was hopeful the Indian leadership could persuade them.

Indian and Pakistani troops have maintained a ceasefire in the glacier area since 2003, but there has been no agreement on how and when to withdraw troops permanently.