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Sunday, April 24, 2011
Singh opened ‘secret talks’ with Kayani
LAHORE: Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh opened “secret talks” with Pakistan’s army chief ten months ago to build on the cricket-inspired diplomatic thaw between the two countries, a media report said on Saturday. Singh “appointed an unofficial envoy to make contact with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who exercises de facto control over Pakistan’s foreign policy”, The Times reported. The talks, through a back channel, have encouraged the United States and United Kingdom believe that the two countries’ competition for influence in Afghanistan could be better managed during efforts to start a peace process, it said. Kayani visited Kabul this week to meet members of the High Peace Council, a body set up by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, to build contacts with the Taliban. He was accompanied by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha. daily times monitor
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk