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Trading Barbs, India and Pakistan Seem on Verge of Canceling Talks Trading Barbs, India and Pakistan Seem on Verge of Canceling Talks
(about 3 hours later)
NEW DELHI — Talks between India and Pakistan, scheduled for next week in New Delhi, appeared on the brink of collapse on Friday after the foreign ministries on both sides traded tough statements over Pakistan’s plans to meet with Kashmiri separatist leaders. NEW DELHI — Talks between India and Pakistan, scheduled for next week in New Delhi, appeared on the brink of collapse Friday after the foreign ministries on both sides traded tough statements over Pakistan’s plans to meet with Kashmiri separatist leaders while in India.
But each side stopped just short of officially canceling the meeting between their national security advisers, scheduled for Sunday and Monday.But each side stopped just short of officially canceling the meeting between their national security advisers, scheduled for Sunday and Monday.
The escalation of tensions began with a statement Friday by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs saying that India had advised Pakistan against a planned meeting with members of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. The conference is an umbrella group of separatist leaders in Indian-administered Kashmir.The escalation of tensions began with a statement Friday by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs saying that India had advised Pakistan against a planned meeting with members of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. The conference is an umbrella group of separatist leaders in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected India’s “advice,” adding that Pakistan “has always interacted with the Kashmir/Hurriyat leadership” on visits to India, calling them the “true representatives of the Kashmiri people of the Indian-occupied Kashmir.”Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected India’s “advice,” adding that Pakistan “has always interacted with the Kashmir/Hurriyat leadership” on visits to India, calling them the “true representatives of the Kashmiri people of the Indian-occupied Kashmir.”
Under previous Indian governments, meetings between Pakistani officials and Kashmiri separatists have been grudgingly tolerated. But last year, India called off talks between the country’s foreign secretaries when the top Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi met with Kashmiri separatists.Under previous Indian governments, meetings between Pakistani officials and Kashmiri separatists have been grudgingly tolerated. But last year, India called off talks between the country’s foreign secretaries when the top Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi met with Kashmiri separatists.
In a response to Pakistan on Friday evening, India’s Ministry of External Affairs released a statement that “unilateral imposition of new conditions and distortion of the agreed agenda cannot be the basis for going forward.” In a response to Pakistan on Friday evening, India’s Ministry of External Affairs released a statement saying, “Unilateral imposition of new conditions and distortion of the agreed agenda cannot be the basis for going forward.”
In what appeared to be an indication of India’s strategic importance in an often unstable South Asia, Peter Lavoy, the senior director for South Asian affairs at the National Security Council, told the Press Trust of India that a hotline between Washington and New Delhi was now operational, adding India to a short list of countries with direct communication with the capital, including Russia and China.In what appeared to be an indication of India’s strategic importance in an often unstable South Asia, Peter Lavoy, the senior director for South Asian affairs at the National Security Council, told the Press Trust of India that a hotline between Washington and New Delhi was now operational, adding India to a short list of countries with direct communication with the capital, including Russia and China.
The dueling statements Friday from the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministries underscored a major point of conflict between the two countries over the disputed territory of Kashmir, where recent cease-fire violations were followed by staunch accusations of cross-border firing on both sides.The dueling statements Friday from the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministries underscored a major point of conflict between the two countries over the disputed territory of Kashmir, where recent cease-fire violations were followed by staunch accusations of cross-border firing on both sides.
India’s statement on Friday referenced recent “cross-border terrorist incidents,” including one in which a Pakistani had been caught. The statements highlight the tenuous nature of peace talks between the two countries, which have fought two wars over Kashmir since partition in 1948.India’s statement on Friday referenced recent “cross-border terrorist incidents,” including one in which a Pakistani had been caught. The statements highlight the tenuous nature of peace talks between the two countries, which have fought two wars over Kashmir since partition in 1948.
Underlying the tensions was an apparent disagreement over the agenda of the talks. In a joint statement released at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Ufa, Russia, in July, the foreign secretaries of each country announced that the countries’ national security advisers would “discuss all issues connected to terrorism” in the meeting. Underlying the tensions was an apparent disagreement over the agenda of the talks. In a joint statement released at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Ufa, Russia, in July, the foreign secretaries of each country announced that their national security advisers would “discuss all issues connected to terrorism” in the meeting.
But in its statement on Friday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the talks should also cover “Kashmir and related disputes.”But in its statement on Friday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the talks should also cover “Kashmir and related disputes.”
The statement added that India’s attempts to “restrict the agenda for the dialogue, demonstrates a lack of seriousness on India’s part to meaningfully engage with Pakistan,” yet Pakistan remained willing to attend the talks “without any preconditions.” The statement added that India’s attempts to “restrict the agenda for the dialogue demonstrates a lack of seriousness on India’s part to meaningfully engage with Pakistan,” yet Pakistan remained willing to attend the talks “without any preconditions.”
India’s response on Friday evening held that “the insistence on meeting Hurriyat” was a “complete departure” from the understanding reached in Russia.India’s response on Friday evening held that “the insistence on meeting Hurriyat” was a “complete departure” from the understanding reached in Russia.
In a second statement released Friday night, Pakistan countered that it was India who had “reneged on commitments agreed upon” in the previous year. In a second statement released Friday night, Pakistan countered that it was India that had “reneged on commitments agreed upon” in the previous year.
Earlier this week, the Pakistani high commissioner in New Delhi invited Kashmiri separatist leaders to a reception on Sunday, the first day of the planned meeting with Indian officials. The government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir put several separatist leaders under house arrest on Thursday, only to release them hours later, the Press Trust of India reported. Earlier this week, the Pakistani high commissioner, or ambassador, in New Delhi invited Kashmiri separatist leaders to a reception on Sunday, the first day of the planned meeting with Indian officials. The government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir put several separatist leaders under house arrest on Thursday, only to release them hours later, the Press Trust of India reported.