Pak accepts India’s proposal for foreign secretary level talks on February 25
February 12th, 2010 - 10:03 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Feb.12 (ANI): Pakistan on Friday accepted India’s proposal to hold foreign secretary-level talks on February 25 in New Delhi.
A statement from Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that Islamabad would take up all core issues with New Delhi and emphasized on the need for early start to the now-stalled composite dialogue process at the talks.
“It was decided that the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries would be held on February 25 in New Delhi,” the statement said.
The announcement followed a meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the former’s residence in Islamabad on Friday.
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also attended the meeting.According to reports, Gilani has specifically instructed his Foreign Secretary to ensure that the upcoming talks with his Indian counterpart are “result-oriented and meaningful”.
Earlier, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had proposed February 18 or February 25 as tentative dates for the talks, during her meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik last week.
New Delhi had made it clear that resumption of talks at any level was not possible unless Islamabad takes substantial action against Lashkar-i-Taiba (LeT) and its front face Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD).
India has been pressing Pakistan to prosecute JuD chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, who is considered the mastermind of the ghastly Mumbai terror attacks.
The foreign secretary level talks will see India and Pakistan resume deliberations after a hiatus of 14 months after 26/11.
However, question still remains that if the talks would lead to more substantive negotiations.
In 2004, India and Pakistan resumed dialogue over Kashmir as well as a broad range of other issues, including economic cooperation and water disputes. The process did not provide any major breakthrough, but it helped develop a better understanding between two countries. (ANI)
- Pak to raise 'all core issues' with India during Feb.25 foreign secretaries meet - Feb 13, 2010
- Indo-Pak foreign secretary level talks on February 25 - Feb 12, 2010
- Pak wants 'wide-ranging' talks with India - Feb 12, 2010
- Pakistan calls for 'meaningful' talks on Kashmir - Feb 05, 2011
- Pakistan not in favour of discussing Mumbai attack - Jun 17, 2011
- Feb.25 Indo-Pak talks 'exploratory' ones: Qureshi - Feb 24, 2010
- 'Open minded' Pak hopes for 'constructive Indian attitude' at Thimphu meet - Feb 05, 2011
- Indo-Pak dialogue to gain momentum in Islamabad next week - Jun 18, 2010
- Pakistan wants Kashmir to be dialogue's core issue - Jun 16, 2011
- Pak must take 26/11 perpetrators to task for talks with India to continue: Editorial - Jul 17, 2010
- Pakistan does a U-turn, says no change in Siachen policy - Apr 19, 2012
- Resumed Indo-Pak talks hailed by Kashmiris, Hurriyat Conference - Feb 13, 2010
- Zardari for meaningful talks with India - Feb 13, 2010
- India-Pakistan ties: A year of building trust (Yearender) - Dec 19, 2011
- Indo-Pak Foreign Secy level talks in September: Pak FO - Aug 29, 2009
Tags: composite dialogue, core issues, daawa, economic cooperation, gilani, india and pakistan, indian counterpart, jamiat, lashkar, mahmood qureshi, mohammed saeed, nirupama rao, pakistan high commissioner, rehman, shah mahmood, substantive negotiations, tentative dates, ulema, water disputes, yousuf