Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) Amid reports about Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s likely visit to Islamabad, India Tuesday remained non-committal on the resumption of the sub-continental dialogue, saying the doors were “never shut”, but made it clear that talks will “only focus” on terrorism.
“On talks with Pakistan, the doors were never shut,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters when asked about possibility of the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan resuming.

“In our previous dialogue, the focus has always been on terror and terror instrumentalities that need to be dismantled,” Krishna said.

“The terror infrastructure in Pakistan has been the focal point of dialogue with Pakistan and will continue to be the focal point,” was all Krishna would say when asked whether the home minister will visit Islamabad later this month.

Krishna again reminded Pakistan to expedite investigations into the Nov 26-29, 2008 attacks on Mumbai and bring the perpetrators of the carnage to justice.

Chidambaram had said here Monday that if he went to Pakistan for the SAARC meeting of home/interior ministers in Islamabad Feb 20, there was a possibility of bilateral talks.

“If I presume that I go to Pakistan, I presume I will hold bilateral talks if there is an opportunity but please remember that SAARC is a multi-lateral forum,” he had said.

No decision has been taken on his visit, government sources said. Chidambaram’s remarks were interpreted in Pakistan as a sign of India willing to resume the composite dialogue that New Delhi put on a pause after the Mumbai attacks.

Pakistan Tuesday termed as a good omen the possibility of bilateral talks with India resuming, saying Islamabad always welcomed any good gesture from its neighbors.

Dialogue was the only solution to the many outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, Online news agency quoted Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as telling a private TV channel in Islamabad.

If Chidambaram goes to Islamabad, it would be the first ministerial visit from the Indian side to Pakistan since May 2008 when then foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee went to Islamabad.

The SAARC meeting is likely to be attended by ministers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. These countries are expected to discuss regional cooperation for dealing with the menace of terrorism, narcotics and organised crime.

Last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi accused New Delhi of speaking in two voices over Pakistan. Krishna reacted sharply, saying India needed “positive and visible” Pakistani action against those responsible for the 26/11 terrorist attacks.