Secy-level talks not start of composite dialogue, says India

A week ahead of the meeting between foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan, India today said these parleys should not be “mistaken” for resumption of the composite dialogue as these were “exploratory” talks.

Asserting that the composite dialogue was “suspended”, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said “let the nation not be under mistaken inference that composite dialogue is being renewed....The issue that we raised remained to be addressed by Pakistan with a degree of seriousness”

The foreign secretaries will meet on February 25 in New Delhi with the Indian government maintaining that the focus of the talks would be terrorism. “These are exploratory talks. All that I am saying is that we are going to concentrate on terror which is emanating from Pakistan and the terror activities and terror infrastructure which is yet to be dismantled.

“So, our core concern is going to be terror,” Krishna told TV channels. On Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and other jehadi leaders freely addressing rallies against India, Krishna said: “It is the way the Pakistan functions. The government perhaps is not capable of restraining these jehadis from continuing with their vituperative statements against India, showing their hostility openly against India.”

Pak envoy meets Rao ahead of talks

Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik today met Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and discussed issues related to the meeting between foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan, scheduled on February 25.Malik met Rao after his return from Islamabad where he held consultations with the Pakistan government on the forthcoming meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, sources said.After a 14-month hiatus, India on January 28 offered to hold talks with Pakistan in New Delhi. Pakistan accepted the offer last Friday.

However, there are differences on the agenda for the talks. India underlines that it would focus on cross-border terrorism while Pakistan says it would want to discuss other issues like Kashmir and water.Pakistan is also pressing for resumption of composite dialogue, which was halted by India in the wake of Mumbai attacks of November 2008.