“We have come to the conclusion that the proposed NSA level talks between the two countries would not serve any goal , if conducted on the basis of the two conditions laid down by the Minister”, it said.
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India and Pakistan traded brickbats Saturday ahead of a scheduled meeting between their national security advisers, the second straight year that high-level talks between the nuclear-armed neighbors seemed destined for collapse.
Pakistan has proposed and conveyed to India a comprehensive agenda reflecting the broad understanding reached between the leaders in Ufa, that all outstanding issues, including Kashmir and other disputes, as well as, terrorism issues and other CBMs will be discussed between the two countries.
She said she was only invoking the Shimla spirit under which two countries are committed to resolving issues bilaterally and the recent agreement in Ufa where Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif had agreed that the NSAs would meet only to discuss terror.
“The statement of Indian External ministry that Pakistan has imposed new conditions totally ignores the last sentence in the note handed over to the Indian High Commission that Pakistan is ready to hold NSA-level talks without any pre-conditions”, he said while addressing the press conference at the Foreign Office.
India is ready to discuss only terrorism-related issues at the talks and “no third party” should be involved, Swaraj said, referring to the separatist leaders. He said that whenever the talks take place, they would cover all issues, including jammu Kashmir. It indicates during the dialogue process between India and Pakistan, Hurriyat was in the loop and it was meeting top leaders of Pakistan frequently. Pakistan wanted to include Kashmir and separatist leaders in the crucial talks. “The meeting which had been agreed on in Ufa did not have Kashmir on the agenda”.
The tweet of Omar was taken sportingly by his followers and of them said, “Can we call it sudden death”.
Aziz is more likely to meet his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval throughout his Delhi go to.
He said both the countries should definitely talk to resolve the complex issues between them but there should be an atmosphere for it.
“We would advise the government… unless there are firm assurances of tangible deliverables and outcome, there is no purpose(in going ahead with the talks)”, said Congress spokesman Anand Sharma. Today, though Syed Ali Shah Geelani continues to enjoy a certain standing, there is no unstinted, mass support among Kashmiris for the Hurriyat moderates’ stand on not contesting elections or their unquestioning, even servile acceptance of Pakistan’s diktats.
Sartaj Aziz said although the cancellation of the meeting has not been confirmed but if it happens that it will be disappointing and regretful.
“The main goal of any dialogue between India and Pakistan is to reduce tensions and restore trust as a first step towards normalization”. The wily 86 year old Sartaj Aziz had to hold a press conference three days later to emphasise that Kashmir would remain a core issue for all future discussions with India. “On my part I’m still prepared to go to New Delhi for NSA talks without any pre-condition”, he added.
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Singh’s remarks came against the backdrop of mounting suspension over holding of the Indo-Pak NSA-level talks after both sides hardened their positions on the issue of Kashmiri separatists.
