Aug 22 , 2015
NewsPakistan FO reiterates NSA talks not possible with India’s preconditions
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Foreign Office announced on Saturday night that the NSA talks are not possible with India’s preconditions.
A press release by the FO stated: “Pakistan has carefully analysed the contents of the Press Conference of the Indian Minister for External Affairs, Mrs. Sushma Sawaraj this afternoon. We have come to the conclusion that the proposed NSA level talks between the two countries would not serve any purpose, if conducted on the basis of the two conditions laid down by the Minister.”
“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.”
“It is equally important to recall that terrorism was always a part of the eight point composite dialogue and it 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 main purpose of any dialogue between India and Pakistan is 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. 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. That is the only way to improve the prospects for peace between the two countries.”
“As regards the second pre-condition regarding meeting with Hurriyat leaders, it has been pointed out repeatedly that it has been a long-standing practice that whenever Pakistani leaders visited India during the past 20 years, they have been meeting Hurriyat leaders. It would be inappropriate for India to now impose the condition of changing this longstanding practice.”
“Pakistan, therefore, reiterates that the scheduled NSA level talks cannot be held on the basis of the preconditions set by India.”
No talks with Pakistan if Kashmiri leaders involved: Sushma Swaraj
India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said earlier today that ‘Pakistan has till tonight to decide whether to attend the NSA level talks.’
“India has not sent any pre-conditions for National Security Advisor level talks with Pakistan,” Swaraj claimed.
The Indian minister told reporters that NSA level talks were not part of the composite dialogue process and would only discuss the issue of terrorism. “In Ufa when the two prime ministers met there was no discussion on the composite or resumed dialogue.”
Swaraj said that the issue of Kashmir was indeed part of the composite dialogue process but would not be discussed in the NSA talks. “The meeting which had been agreed on in Ufa did not have Kashmir on the agenda.”
Speaking on the issue of Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz’s proposed meeting with Hurriyat leaders, Swaraj said no third party including Hurriyat should be made part of the Pak-India dialogue process. She claimed that Pakistan had signed in the Simla agreement that there would be no third party in the talks.
She emphasised that the talks would only be held on the issue of terrorism and Pakistan had to give assurance on this. “If Pakistan does not agree talks will not happen.”
India has changed its stance, no change in our position: Pervaiz Rashid
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid while speaking to Geo News on Saturday said if India has a right to impose its stance on ‘talks on terrorism only’, then Pakistan has a right to insist on its position too.
Regarding the statement of India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today, Rashid went on to say that Pakistan desires to discuss topics during the NSA level talks which it deems important.
He further said, “There has been no change in our position, it is India who has changed its position,” adding that if India remains committed to its original stance then talks will definitely commence.
The minister went on to say that National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz is ready with his files and baggage to depart to India.
He added that besides participating in the NSA level talks, Sartaj will also be meeting with Hurriyat leaders.
The information minister further said that whenever the talks take place, they will cover ‘all issues’, adding that in Ufa when the two prime ministers met, it was agreed that the talks would cover all matters.
Rashid also said that so far India’s invitation is still open and Sartaj is ready to go to Delhi unless India takes back its invitation at the last moment in which case it will be held accountable.
Pakistan rejects pre-conditions for New Delhi talks
Pakistan on Saturday called on the international community to take notice of India’s running away from NSA Level meeting on flimsy grounds.
During a media briefing, Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security, Sartaj Aziz said he was still willing to make his scheduled visit on August 23 and 24 if India doesn’t put forth pre-conditions.
He told journalists that he expects that global think tanks and foreign policy experts will carefully ponder over whether it is conceivable that a country like India will cancel the first ministerial interaction between the two countries since Modi came to power on such flimsy grounds, especially when the main purpose of the meeting was to reduce tensions on the LoC and restore trust by addressing each other’s concern regarding terrorist activities sitting across the table rather than through the media.
“Pakistan has not put forth any pre-conditions for talks, and meeting with Kashmiri leaders in New Delhi is a tradition of past two decades,” said Aziz while responding to India’s pretext to call off the NSA-level talks over Pakistan High Commission’s invite to Hurryat leaders to a ceremony that was secluded to take place in honor of the advisor.
"Even more ironic is their alibi that Pakistan was trying to distort the agenda agreed at Ufa and was imposing "new conditions" for the talks. Nothing could be farther from the truth," he added.
He said the three point agenda proposed by Pakistan was fully in line with the Ufa statement. The first point called for discussion on all issues related to terrorism.
Sartaj Aziz said: "The second point calls for reviewing progress on actual decisions made at Ufa i.e. prompt release of fishermen, better arrangements for religious tourism, and activation of mechanisms for restoring peace across the LOC and the Working Boundary."
He added that the third point was intended to explore the modalities for discussions on all other outstanding issues including Kashmir, Sir Creek and Siachen.
Waving a dossier containing evidence of Indian spy agency RAWs involvement in acts of terrorism, during the press conference, Aziz said he would hand them over to his Indian counter-part during his visit to New York in the General Assembly meeting of the United Nations.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk