 | « Back to article | Print this article |
India and Pakistan have agreed to resume dialogue on 'all issues' and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will visit New Delhi by July to review progress in the parleys.
Unveiling the road-map for resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, India on Thursday announced that the home secretaries of the two countries will hold talks on counter-terrorism, including progress in the 26/11 trial in Rawalpindi court, ahead of Qureshi's visit in July.
In a statement titled Agreed Outcome of India-Pakistan Foreign Secretary-level talks in Thimphu' the ministry of external affairs said secretary-level talks on the issues of counter-terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial); humanitarian issues; peace and security, including confidence building measures; Jammu and Kashmir; promotion of friendly exchanges; Siachen and economic issues will be held in the next few months.
The decision to resume the dialogue, suspended by India in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Tayiba, was made during talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries on the margins of a SAARC meet in Thimphu last week.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed his "satisfaction on the important decision taken both by Pakistan and India to resume the full spectrum of dialogue," according to a statement issued by the premier's office.
Before Qureshi's visit to India, secretaries and officials of the two countries will hold a series of meetings to discuss issues like counter-terrorism, peace and security, Kashmir, Siachen and economic matters
The two sides have agreed to "resume dialogue on all issues following the spirit of the Thimphu meeting between the two prime ministers" last year.
The two sides also agreed that before Qureshi's visit, meetings at the level of secretaries and other officials will be convened on counter-terrorism, including progress on the trial of suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks, humanitarian issues, peace and security, including confidence-building measures, Jammu and Kashmir, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen, economic issues, Wullar Barrage-Tulbul Navigation Project and Sir Creek.
Following the mandate given by the prime ministers of India and Pakistan after their meeting in Thimphu in April 2010, the foreign ministers of the two sides had met in Islamabad in July 2010 to review the "current state of the bilateral relationship and discuss steps to promote trust and confidence between the two countries," the statement said.
The foreign secretaries met in Thimphu on February 6 to "carry forward this process" and have briefed their respective governments, it said.
After the meeting of Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her counterpart Salman Bashir last Sunday, India and Pakistan have agreed to resume dialogue on all issues.