Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh briefed Left leaders Friday on the upcoming visits of Premier Wen Jiabao and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and received full support for his policies. 

In a breakfast meeting with the four Left parties that back the government from outside, Singh spoke about the high profile visits as well as the historic Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service he flagged off Thursday.

"We were called for consultations on the visits. We believe the direction the government's foreign policy has taken is right," Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters after the hour-long meeting at the prime minister's residence.

He said the government was on the right track and border disputes with China could be solved only through talks. "After the Chinese premier's visit, the understanding between India and China should be better than before."

The Chinese premier's four-day visit from Saturday is expected to enhance trade and economic ties between the two countries.

In a special gesture to underscore the new warmth in ties between the two countries, Singh will host a private dinner for Wen Sunday evening.

The Left also backed India's confidence building measures with Pakistan but warned that security should be kept in mind in the light of continuing terror attacks, said a Communist Party official.

Musharraf, who arrives next weekend to watch the April 17 India-Pakistan one-day cricket match in New Delhi, would be in India for 48 hours.   

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2005)