India favours measured contact with Pakistan

A day after the Pakistan Prime Minister made a strong plea for resumption of Indo-Pak talks, India today ruled out the same but favoured some measured "communication" with the neighbour.

Asserting that Pakistan needs to pay "serious attention" and show that "it is sincere" in addressing India's concerns over terrorism emanating from its soil, top sources here said the atmosphere is not conducive for the resumption of composite dialogue.

Pushing for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had yesterday said his country and India should not be held "hostage to one incident" of 26/11 and should hold talks since they cannot "afford war".

"There has to be a lot of de-clogging that needs to be done after the Mumbai terror attacks... The atmosphere is not conducive...," the sources said while noting that the rise in the infiltration attempts in Jammu and Kashmir, despite it being the winter season, is a matter of concern.

"This is definitely a matter of concern for us," they said.

However, admitting that no relationship can be "static", the sources said there could be some "measured" communication between the countries.

"We are not ruling out such communication," they said indicating the possibility of contact between the foreign ministers and foreign secretaries of two countries.

"Some contact will take place but to take things really forward, we have to have a conducive atmosphere," they said.