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Menu, not summit, grips UK media

The dailies, however, published photographs of Gen Musharraf and his wife, Sehba, posing on the 'lovers' bench at the Taj Mahal along with the despatches.

The menu at the summit, including crushed pearl, coral and mica among exotic ingredients served at lunch Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had better display with The Times, putting it on the front page.

The report said "To ease the mood between India's civilian Prime Minister and Pakistan's military ruler at the weekend summit in Agra chefs laced the leaders' meals with ingredients drawing on the ancient Ayurvedic system of healing."

Quoting chef Narendra Singh of the Jaypee Palace Hotel, which hosted the summit, the report said "crushed pearl, coral and mica were among exotic ingredients served at lunch, which drew on cuisine from the two countries' shared Moghul traditions. The aim was to ensure that Vajpayee and Musharraf are at peace with themselves and with each other."

In a separate story under the title 'Diplomacy and dum aloo', The Guardian wrote that special delicacies served at the lunch included tandoori prawns laced with a pinch of fired coral and Sali boti (a Parsi dish of apricots and lamb) sprinkled with powdered pearls -- both the coral and pearls are thought to have therapeutic value.

But some observers have interpreted "the serving of dum aloo -- a potato dish from Kashmir -- as carrying political significance," the report said. Most of the main reports were based on the briefings from the two sides. The Guardian report said Musharraf and Vajpayee "have agreed to reduce nuclear tensions, as their first-ever summit in Agra headed towards an unexpectedly warm and chummy denouement."

Quoting sources at the summit, the report said the leaders had agreed to exchange details of their nuclear facilities and "command structures" within three months and to continue their new dialogue."

It said the Pakistani leader appeared to be retreating from his earlier hardline position, and engaging with India over other issues of bilateral concern, a key Indian demand. During their one-to-one talks the two leaders also discussed nuclear de-escalation, trade, PoWs and "cross-border terrorism", the report said.

According to the report, the two leaders are likely to announce the establishment of a joint working committee on Kashmir which may also deal with other issues. Gen Musharraf is expected to pledge to "restrain" militant jihadi groups based in Pakistan from crossing the border.

The Times reported that progress in peace talks between India and Pakistan was overshadowed yesterday by a last-minute row over how much Kashmir dominated discussions between the two country's leaders. PTI

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