India plans to make Pakistan talk terror

New Delhi/Islamabad, Feb. 6: India on Saturday said its proposal to have foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan was a calculated initiative to “unlock” the dialogue process and convey directly its immediate concerns about cross-border terrorism.

The government underlines that the offer of dialogue does not mean that it had given up on its expectations about “satisfactory, tangible and concrete action” by Pakistan against terrorism and bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack to justice. Making it clear that India will approach the talks with an open mind, sources said it was ready for dialogue on a range of issues in a comprehensive manner but not necessarily in the format of the composite dialogue that was halted because of 26/11.

Sources said India has offered the foreign secretary-level talks after making a “judgment” about actions taken by Pakistan with regard to the Mumbai attacks and considering various aspects.

Reports emanating from Islamabad said India wanted the talks to focus on terrorism and other issues “hurting” bilateral ties but has given no indication about the full-fledged resumption of the stalled dialogue process.

When the foreign secretary, Ms Nirupama Rao, telephoned her Pakistani counterpart, Mr Salman Bashir, about a week ago to propose talks, she made it clear that the parleys would focus on terrorism and other issues that are “hurting relations between the two countries,” official sources in Pakistan foreign office said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan foreign minister, Mr Shah Mehmood Qureshi, summoned an inter-ministerial meeting for February 10 to discuss the resumption of dialogue. “The meeting will review the strategy in connection with the composite dialogue with India which is likely to resume,” he said.

Talking to a private TV channel here, Mr Qureshi said the Pakistan high commissioner, Mr Shahid Malik, has also been invited at the inter-ministerial meeting.