India advises Pakistan against Sartaj Aziz meeting Kashmiri separatists

Such a move would not be appropriate, go against understanding reached at Ufa

India has made it clear to Pakistan that a meeting between its NSA Sartaj Aziz and Hurriyat representatives would not be "appropriate" and advised against it. Aziz will be visiting New Delhi to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

The Pakistan High Commission has invited hardline Kashmir separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and others for talks. India said such a meeting would not be in keeping with the spirit and intent of the understanding reached at Ufa, Russia, to jointly work to combat terrorism.  

"India has advised Pakistan yesterday that it would not be appropriate for Sartaj Aziz to meet with Hurriyat representatives in India," spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Vikas Swarup said in a tweet.

He tweeted that India has sought confirmation of its proposed agenda for the NSA-level talks that was conveyed to the Pakistani side on August 18.

The two NSAs are scheduled to meet in New Delhi for talks on terrorism-related issues for the first time on August 23, as decided in a meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif last month in Ufa in Russia.