India has proposed foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, signalling the resumption of a dialogue that stalled after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. This is being seen as UPA II’s most important foreign policy initiative.
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh again deciding to go the extra mile and Shivshankar Menon, a tested Pakistan hand who shares Singh’s views on dialogue, as national security advisor, highly placed government sources said: “India will enter discussions with an open as well as positive mind.”
It is reliably learnt that New Delhi sought a “mutually convenient” date for the talks with Pakistan. The dates are“being scheduled” and India is looking at a time period before the SAARC summit in Bhutan in the last week of April.
“We will raise all relevant issues from our side. The issue of counter- terrorism will be there, as addressing it will create an atmosphere of peace and stability in the region,” the sources said.
In Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi welcomed the “positive step”. Bilateral talks should start from where they had been put on hold by India following the Mumbai attacks, he said.
Qureshi didn’t confirm any dates for the resumption of talks, but said he had sought details from Delhi about it.
In Delhi, the main opposition party, the BJP, said India had halted dialogue demanding credible action by Pakistan against the terrorist infrastructure there. “Pakistan has done nothing. What has suddenly happened to change the consistent policy of the government?” asked party spokesman Prakash Javadekar.
Source : http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/India-ends-chill-calls-Pakistan-to-talks/505467/H1-Article1-505192.aspx
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh again deciding to go the extra mile and Shivshankar Menon, a tested Pakistan hand who shares Singh’s views on dialogue, as national security advisor, highly placed government sources said: “India will enter discussions with an open as well as positive mind.”
It is reliably learnt that New Delhi sought a “mutually convenient” date for the talks with Pakistan. The dates are“being scheduled” and India is looking at a time period before the SAARC summit in Bhutan in the last week of April.
“We will raise all relevant issues from our side. The issue of counter- terrorism will be there, as addressing it will create an atmosphere of peace and stability in the region,” the sources said.
In Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi welcomed the “positive step”. Bilateral talks should start from where they had been put on hold by India following the Mumbai attacks, he said.
Qureshi didn’t confirm any dates for the resumption of talks, but said he had sought details from Delhi about it.
In Delhi, the main opposition party, the BJP, said India had halted dialogue demanding credible action by Pakistan against the terrorist infrastructure there. “Pakistan has done nothing. What has suddenly happened to change the consistent policy of the government?” asked party spokesman Prakash Javadekar.
Source : http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/India-ends-chill-calls-Pakistan-to-talks/505467/H1-Article1-505192.aspx
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