Indo-Pak foreign secys to meet this week

Terrorism and associated confidence-building measures (CBMs) are to be raised by the Indian delegation at the two-day talks between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan in Islamabad on Thursday and Friday.

“Our concerns have not, in any way, diminished by the resumption of dialogue. Through dialogue, you keep the chain of communication open. Terrorism is central to our concerns,” senior government officials said.

The delegation would raise the issue of the larger conspiracy against India that had come out during the court hearing of Tahawwur Rana in a Chicago court. “It is not as if we have let our guard down. It is not behind us,” senior officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir was the core issue for Pakistan and it had complicated relations between the two countries for years but it could not be solved so soon, they said. “There is need to put in more CBMs such as people-to-people contact and increased trade for the betterment of the Kashmiris,” sources added.

Apart from terror and Kashmir, peace and security, including CBMs, and promotion of friendly exchanges are some of the other important components to be discussed. The delegations would review the status of existing nuclear CBMs, of the prior missile notification mechanism and annual exchange of list of nuclear installations. The two countries have already agreed for an expert-level group to hold a comprehensive meeting with the Pakistani side on the nuclear CBMs. The dates have not been finalised.