Pakistan on Saturday called off the proposed National Security Adviser (NSA) level talks with India in New Delhi scheduled for Sunday, saying the dialogue would not serve any purpose if conducted on the basis of the two conditions laid down by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Sawaraj.
The Indian foreign minister had earlier on Saturday said that India had made it clear on August 18 that the scheduled meeting between the national security advisers will only discuss issues related to terrorism.
“No other topic will come under discussion,” she said, adding that all outstanding issues including Kashmir are part of the composite dialogue between the two countries which had not yet resumed.
Sawaraj had also said India did not recognise a third party in talks with Pakistan, referring to Pakistan’s invitation to Hurriyat leaders for a meeting in Delhi.
The Indian foreign minister said that the incumbent ruling government had come under immense internal pressure after repeated attacks and exchanges of fire between Indo-Pak troops along the Line of Control and Working Boundary but the government had still decided to go ahead with the talks.
“Terror and talks are not possible but talks on terror desirable,” she added.
Swaraj said that Sartaj Aziz was more than welcome to visit New Delhi as long as no other issue apart from terrorism is discussed and no third party is included in the talks between the two countries.
FO RESPONDS:
In a statement released in response to Sawaraj’s conference, the Foreign Office said: “While the Indian Minister accepts that, to ensure durable peace between the two countries, there is a need to discuss all outstanding issues through a sustained dialogue process, started in 1998 as Composite Dialogue and renamed as Resumed Dialogue in 2011, she then unilaterally restricts the agenda to only two items: creating an atmosphere free from terrorism and tranquility on the LoC.”
Considering that many terror “incidents” blamed initially by India on Pakistan eventually turned out to be fake, it is not improbable that India can delay the Resumed Dialogue indefinitely by concocting one or two incidents and keeping the LoC hot, stated FO spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah.
Pakistan said terrorism had always been a part of the eight point composite dialogue and was always discussed simultaneously with other issues between the interior secretaries.
“It is not reasonable for India to now assume the right to decide unilaterally that from now onwards, other issues will be discussed after terrorism has been discussed and eliminated.”
The spokesperson said the main purpose of dialogue between India and Pakistan was to reduce tensions and restore trust as a first step towards normalisation.
“If the only purpose of NSA level talks is to discuss terrorism, then instead of improving the prospects for peace it will only intensify the blame game and further vitiate the atmosphere,” he said.
That is why Pakistan had suggested that apart from discussion on terrorism related issues, the two sides should also discuss modalities and if possible a time schedule, for discussions on all outstanding issues including Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek, in keeping with the understanding of the Ufa statement.
“The Indian minister’s attempt to draw a distinction between preambular and operative paragraphs in the Ufa statement appears to be an after-thought to justify a position that is counterproductive in terms of the ultimate objective of reducing tensions and improving trust.”
As regards the second pre-condition regarding meeting with Hurriyat leaders, the FO spokesperson said it had been pointed out repeatedly that the meeting with Kashmiri leaders was a long-standing practice whenever Pakistani leaders visited India during the past twenty years.
It would be inappropriate for India to now impose the condition of changing this longstanding practice, he said.
“Pakistan, therefore, reiterates that the scheduled NSA level talks cannot be held on the basis of the preconditions set by India.”
India had virtually called off talks on Friday (yesterday) after Pakistan rejected its advice to not hold talks with Hurriyat leaders in New Delhi. Pakistan had conveyed to India it would not hold talks on any pre-conditions, adding that Hurriyat leaders were a genuine stakeholder in the Kashmir dispute.
INDIA NOT INTERESTED IN PEACE:
Addressing reporters earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz said that he was disappointed that the Indo-Pak security adviser level talks had been virtually cancelled and added he is ‘still willing to visit New Delhi without preconditions’.
Talking about the ‘virtual cancellation of talks from the Indian side’ Aziz said, “India does not want the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan is concerned about the detention and arrests of Hurriyat leaders which is a violation of fundamental human rights.”
Aziz also urged the international community to ponder over India’s attitude and decision to cancel the talks “on such flimsy grounds, especially when the main purpose of the meeting was to reduce tensions on the Line of Control and restore trust by addressing each other’s concerns regarding terrorist activities sitting across the table rather than through the media.”
Responding to a question he said, “Pakistan wishes to resolve all issues with India on the negotiating table, but no serious talks with India are possible without discussion on the core issue of Kashmir.”
“We had agreed to discuss all outstanding issues and Kashmir is definitely a part of it.”
Aziz said that, “Indian claims that Pakistan was trying to distort the agenda agreed at Ufa and was imposing ‘new conditions’ for the talks could not be farther from the truth.”
Aziz said that the three-point agenda proposed by Pakistan was fully in line with the Ufa statement.
He also dispelled ‘India’s wishful narrative’ according to which ‘only Pakistan’s military establishment is pushing the agenda towards the Kashmir issue’ saying that the Indian foreign policy establishment has failed to realise that the entire Pakistani nation stands united and fully committed to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris struggling for their right of self-determination.
He claimed that India has been conducting a part of its diplomacy through its media which had been saying that Pakistan was looking for an exit due to apprehensions over the dossier which India’s ex-spymaster and incumbent national security adviser Ajit Doval has prepared for presentation during the talks.
Aziz countered the Indian media’s claim by saying, “In fact I will also be carrying three dossiers on RAW’s involvement in promoting terrorism in Pakistan. If I do not get this opportunity on 24 August, I hope I will get a chance to hand them over to Mr Doval in New York next month, if he accompanies Prime Minister Modi for the UN General Assembly.”
He added that, “After handing over these dossiers to Mr. Doval, I can then also share them with the UN Secretary General.”
Sartaj Aziz concluded his speech urging Indian Premier Modi to ponder over the most important part of the Ufa Statement (that India and Pakistan have a collective responsibility to ensure peace and promote development. To do so, they are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues) and think of ways and means of initiating serious dialogue on these outstanding issues.
