ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and India on Thursday announced that they will resume the peace talks stalled after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 on all bilateral disputes, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
The agreement to this effect was announced by the two foreign ministries simultaneously following the talks on Sunday between the Indo-Pak foreign secretaries in Bhutanese capital, Thimphu, where the prime ministers of neighboring states had also met back in April 2010, and directed the relevant official quarters to explore ways for the resumption of the stalled dialogue.
“The two sides have agreed to resume dialogue on all issues following the spirit of the Thimphu meeting between the two prime ministers,” said the Foreign Office spokesperson, Abdul Basit, in a statement issued here. He said, “The foreign minister of Pakistan will visit India by July 2011 to review progress in the dialogue process with his counterpart. This will be preceded by a meeting of the two foreign secretaries.”
The two sides have agreed that prior to the visit of the foreign minister of Pakistan, meetings between secretaries will be convened on counter-terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial); humanitarian issues; peace and security, including CBMs; Jammu and Kashmir; promotion of friendly exchanges; Siachen; economic issues; Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project; and Sir Creek (at the level of Additional Secretaries/Surveyors General).
Basit said the dates of all meetings will be fixed through diplomatic channels. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani expressed his satisfaction on the important decision taken both by Pakistan and India to resume full spectrum of dialogue. He approved the outcome of the talks held at Thimphu (Bhutan) held on February 6 during a meeting with Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, who presented a report on his meeting with the Indian foreign secretary.
TALKS PRODUCTIVE: Meanwhile, the White House said it hoped resumed peace talks between India and Pakistan would be “productive”, AFP reported. “The idea of them sitting down and having peace talks is something that the president has encouraged and we hope (they) will be productive in their outcome,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
