To his advantage here, while National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is guiding the ground work deftly, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj is just the right person to provide the warmth that any success on the India-Pak dialogue front is required.
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What diplomats called the “composite dialogue” was stopped after the Mumbai attacks, the “resumed dialogue” was stopped nearly three years ago after the killing of Indian soldiers on the border, and what we have back on the table is the full old menu of India-Pakistan talks, with two new additions: humanitarian issues and religious tourism.
A recent thaw, with both prime ministers briefly meeting on the sidelines of Climate Change conference in Paris in November and subsequent talks between security advisers in Bangkok, raised hopes of a cricket revival.
During the visit, Swaraj and Aziz had “condemned” terrorism and “resolved” to cooperate to eliminate it.
Pakistan promised India that it would expedite the trial of seven suspects in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held in Ufa, Russia, in July, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif invited Modi to attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad next year, which Modi had accepted.
Talks on the joint statement began only over the dinner hosted by Aziz for the Heart of Asia Conference delegates on Tuesday evening – a few hours after Swaraj landed in Islamabad.
The spokesperson appreciated the efforts of Narendra Modi who, he said, has been constantly trying to have friendly and fruitful relations with other countries since he took over as the Prime Minister of the country. Swaraj’s visit came days after talks between the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan in Bangkok, where they discussed terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir and a range of key bilateral issues apart from agreeing to carry forward the “constructive” engagement.
Responding to a notice of adjournment motion by Saugata Roy (Trinamool Congress) on the issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Swaraj will make a statement in the House and the government is also willing for a discussion.
Pakistani opposition lawmaker Sherry Rehman, a foreign policy expert, said the agreement was “important” but expressed disappointment that the dialogue would start from scratch.
Sushma Swaraj held out a hand of friendship saying both India and Pakistan had to display “maturity” and “self-confidence”, and that India was ready to move at a pace that Pakistan was “comfortable” with. Usually, joint statements are drafted much earlier before a bilateral event, but in India and Pakistan relations, the exception is usually the norm.
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The LoC divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan. She also met Iranian foreign minister Jawad Zarif.
