SHARM EL SHEIKH: In a major retreat from its hard-line position on resumption of peace talks, India on Thursday agreed to de-link ‘Composite Dialogue’ from action against terrorism and hold talks with Pakistan on all outstanding issues.
The breakthrough at this Egyptian resort was achieved during a meeting between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of NAM summit. Pakistani officials here described this as a major diplomatic success.
‘Both Prime Ministers recognised that dialogue is the only way forward. Action on terrorism should not be linked to the Composite Dialogue process and these should not be bracketed.
Prime Minister Singh said that India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan, including all outstanding issues,’ said a joint statement issued after the meeting which lasted close to three hours, including a 40-minute one-to-one session.
Talks between foreign secretaries of the two countries that preceded Thursday’s top-level interaction had failed to make any progress, apart from threadbare discussions on issues straining bilateral ties.
In their speeches at the NAM summit on Wednesday, the prime ministers had stuck to their stated positions and even when their meeting got under way on Thursday there was little hope that a joint statement would be issued.
However, the prime ministers proved that they had the courage to rise to the occasion and chart the way to improve their relations.
Since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks India had been insisting that the Composite Dialogue, which was started in 2004 and completed four rounds, could not be resumed without Pakistan taking credible action against terrorism and prosecuting the perpetrators of the attacks.
Pakistan has been consistently saying that all problems can be solved through dialogue.
It was not immediately clear what motivated India to change its position on the issue of resumption of peace talks.
One apparent reason is the forthcoming visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to New Delhi and the Indian desire to avoid being seen as unreasonable and inflexible.
Talking to media personnel after the meeting, Dr Singh said: ‘We have obligation to talk to Pakistan.’
This was a changed Dr Singh, who had snubbed President Asif Ali Zardari in Yekaterinburg last month by telling him that his mandate was limited to just telling Pakistan that it should not allow its territory to be used for terrorist attacks against India.
Although no timeline or mechanism has been decided for resumption of dialogue, diplomatic sources said that details would be worked out by the foreign secretaries between now and the UN General Assembly session in September when the foreign ministers of both countries would meet.
Dr Singh and Mr Gilani agreed during their meeting that foreign secretaries should meet ‘as often as necessary and report to the two foreign ministers, who will be meeting on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly’.
But, more important was India’s acceptance to hold discussions on all eight segments of the Composite Dialogue, casting away apprehensions in Islamabad that New Delhi wanted recasting of the dialogue, which would have nullified the progress made so far, particularly on Sir Creek, Siachen and Kashmir confidence-building measures.
Mr Gilani reassured Dr Singh that Pakistan would make all possible efforts to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice. ‘Prime Minister Singh reiterated the need to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.
Prime Minister Gilani assured that Pakistan will do everything in its power in this regard,’ the statement said.
After the meeting, Prime Minister Gilani told media persons that his counterpart was satisfied with his commitment.
Another major development of immense importance is Indian willingness to discuss allegations that its consulates in Afghanistan were involved in subversive activities on Pakistani soil, particularly in Balochistan.
The joint statement states that ‘Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas,’ and Mr Singh in his media conversation conceded that India had agreed to discuss the issue.
‘I told him the consulates are not of recent origin and we have deep ties with Afghanistan but will discuss the issue in detail if Pakistan wanted,’ Dr Singh said.
Mr Gilani told journalists that India was ready to discuss its alleged involvement in Balochistan unrest.
Both the countries also agreed to share intelligence relating to future terrorist threats. ‘Both leaders agreed that the two countries will share real time, credible and actionable information on any future terrorist threats,’ the two-page statement said.
Pakistan and India already have a Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism, which is currently dysfunctional, which has a similar provision for intelligence cooperation.
The agreement at Sharm El Sheikh to create an atmosphere of ‘mutual trust and confidence’ is likely to help the two countries make the intelligence-sharing agreement workable this time.
The two leaders committed themselves to promoting regional cooperation and acknowledged that the real challenge was elimination of poverty that restrained their countries and their people from realising their full potential.
‘Both Prime Ministers recognised that dialogue is the only way forward. Action on terrorism should not be linked to the Composite Dialogue process and these should not be bracketed.
Prime Minister Singh said that India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan, including all outstanding issues,’ said a joint statement issued after the meeting which lasted close to three hours, including a 40-minute one-to-one session.
Talks between foreign secretaries of the two countries that preceded Thursday’s top-level interaction had failed to make any progress, apart from threadbare discussions on issues straining bilateral ties.
In their speeches at the NAM summit on Wednesday, the prime ministers had stuck to their stated positions and even when their meeting got under way on Thursday there was little hope that a joint statement would be issued.
However, the prime ministers proved that they had the courage to rise to the occasion and chart the way to improve their relations.
Since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks India had been insisting that the Composite Dialogue, which was started in 2004 and completed four rounds, could not be resumed without Pakistan taking credible action against terrorism and prosecuting the perpetrators of the attacks.
Pakistan has been consistently saying that all problems can be solved through dialogue.
It was not immediately clear what motivated India to change its position on the issue of resumption of peace talks.
One apparent reason is the forthcoming visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to New Delhi and the Indian desire to avoid being seen as unreasonable and inflexible.
Talking to media personnel after the meeting, Dr Singh said: ‘We have obligation to talk to Pakistan.’
This was a changed Dr Singh, who had snubbed President Asif Ali Zardari in Yekaterinburg last month by telling him that his mandate was limited to just telling Pakistan that it should not allow its territory to be used for terrorist attacks against India.
Although no timeline or mechanism has been decided for resumption of dialogue, diplomatic sources said that details would be worked out by the foreign secretaries between now and the UN General Assembly session in September when the foreign ministers of both countries would meet.
Dr Singh and Mr Gilani agreed during their meeting that foreign secretaries should meet ‘as often as necessary and report to the two foreign ministers, who will be meeting on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly’.
But, more important was India’s acceptance to hold discussions on all eight segments of the Composite Dialogue, casting away apprehensions in Islamabad that New Delhi wanted recasting of the dialogue, which would have nullified the progress made so far, particularly on Sir Creek, Siachen and Kashmir confidence-building measures.
Mr Gilani reassured Dr Singh that Pakistan would make all possible efforts to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice. ‘Prime Minister Singh reiterated the need to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.
Prime Minister Gilani assured that Pakistan will do everything in its power in this regard,’ the statement said.
After the meeting, Prime Minister Gilani told media persons that his counterpart was satisfied with his commitment.
Another major development of immense importance is Indian willingness to discuss allegations that its consulates in Afghanistan were involved in subversive activities on Pakistani soil, particularly in Balochistan.
The joint statement states that ‘Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas,’ and Mr Singh in his media conversation conceded that India had agreed to discuss the issue.
‘I told him the consulates are not of recent origin and we have deep ties with Afghanistan but will discuss the issue in detail if Pakistan wanted,’ Dr Singh said.
Mr Gilani told journalists that India was ready to discuss its alleged involvement in Balochistan unrest.
Both the countries also agreed to share intelligence relating to future terrorist threats. ‘Both leaders agreed that the two countries will share real time, credible and actionable information on any future terrorist threats,’ the two-page statement said.
Pakistan and India already have a Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism, which is currently dysfunctional, which has a similar provision for intelligence cooperation.
The agreement at Sharm El Sheikh to create an atmosphere of ‘mutual trust and confidence’ is likely to help the two countries make the intelligence-sharing agreement workable this time.
The two leaders committed themselves to promoting regional cooperation and acknowledged that the real challenge was elimination of poverty that restrained their countries and their people from realising their full potential.
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