When asked whether the proposed Pakistan-India Cricket series was also discussed in NSAs meeting in Bangkok, Sartaj Aziz said that the meeting remained confined to matters related to national security and mutual ties.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at COP21 Summit in Paris last week, which was followed by the NSA and foreign secretary level talks in Bangkok yesterday. We must understand that in relations between our two countries the going is never easy and just that we shake hands in a foreign land or conduct diplomacy on a stray sofa does not mean that problems are going to be somehow solved.
Swaraj is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday to attend the Heart of Asia regional conference, the latest sign of warming ties between the nuclear neighbours.
There was no mention of Jammu and Kashmir, or any other issue at the time except a general commitment to discussing all outstanding issues.
“Discussions covered peace and security, terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, and other issues including tranquility along the LoC (Line of Control)”, the statement said.
The paper also said that the meeting in a third country, which was kept secret, resulted in a much-needed agreement where both countries agreed to “carry forward the constructive engagement”.
On Nov. 30, the two prime ministers met in Paris, where they had both gone to attend a major climate conference.
“This is a good beginning, that the deadlock that was present has to some extent been removed”, Sartaj Aziz, Sharif’s top aide on security and foreign affairs, told reporters after the meeting.
Pakistan had called-off Aziz’ visit after New Delhi had made it clear that he would not be allowed to meet Kashmiri separatist leaders in the Indian capital. The Urdu press also gave front page coverage to the meeting, hoping that it will pave way for more talks.
“The global mood about terrorism has put Pakistan in the hot-seat to do something, so there’s now some global pressure for India and Pakistan to get on the same page”, said C. Uday Bhaskar, director at the Society for Policy Studies in New Delhi.
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India and Pakistan have held high-level talks, four months after an earlier postponement.
