It promises to be a hectic week for External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee as he goes on a whirlwind tour of neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Pakistan.

The visit comes shortly after detailed consultations with leading opposition parties on India's neighbourhood policy for the following months.

Bilateral relations are likely to figure in the meetings Mukherjee will hold with the regional leaders.

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The minister's itinerary in respective countries -

Sri Lanka | January 9-10, 2007

His visit to Colombo is primarily to invite the leadership for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on April 3 and 4.

Mukherjee is likely to repeat India's support for a dialogue between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to resolve the festering ethnic problem in the island.

In his meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mukherjee is likely to reiterate India's commitment to the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

He will also advocate a lasting resolution of the ongoing crisis through a comprehensive devolution package in which aspirations of all communities, including the Sri Lankan Tamils, are accommodated.

He will meet his Lankan counterpart Mangala Samaraweera and discuss a wide range of bilateral and regional issues.

Maldives | January 10 - 11, 2007

Mukherjee leaves for the Maldives, the picturesque Indian Ocean island nation, on January 10 to invite President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

Philippines | January 11 - 12, 2007

The minister will attend the ministerial meeting of the India-ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and also the ministerial meet before the East Asian Summit, where energy security and counter-terrorism cooperation are expected to figure prominently.

He will also attend a meeting of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation Group founded in 2001, to facilitate improved cultural, tourism and telecommunication links among member countries that include India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Pakistan | January 13 - 14, 2007

His visit to Pakistan, starting January 13, is however the highlight of his neighbourhood visit and could prove to be historic if a breakthrough on Sir Creek - the disputed marshland separating Sindh in Pakistan and Gujarat in India - is achieved during his talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharaf and Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri.

The agenda for Mukherjee's Pakistan visit has already been approved by the cabinet and is likely to build up on back channel discussions on resolving the Siachen glacier and Kashmir issues.

In his discussions with Pakistani leaders, Mukherjee is also likely to discuss Manmohan Singh's idea for a Treaty of Peace, Security and Friendship between the two countries.

If a significant breakthrough is achieved on any of these key issues, it could set the stage for Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan later this year.

The visit will also outline the future course of the bilateral dialogue process.

(With inputs from Indo-Asian News Service)