India proposes foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan

New Delhi - India has proposed foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan in the first such formal overture since the terrorist attack in Mumbai in November 2008, official sources said Thursday. "We have proposed foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan. We will approach the discussion with a positive and open mind," the source said.

All relevant issues from India's side, including counter-terrorism, that could contribute to peace and stability in the region would be discussed, the official said.

On Wednesday, Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna had indicated to reporters while on a flight to Kuwait that India may take some steps to normalize bilateral ties with Pakistan.

There were also hints of a thaw with Krishna confirming that Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram would be attending a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting of home ministers in Islamabad scheduled for late February.

India and Pakistan have been engaged in a dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the disputed Kashmir region and border differences, since 2004.

It had led to greater people-to-people contacts, increased trade across their borders and the opening of road and rail links.

India froze the dialogue after 10 gunmen belonging to the Pakistan-based militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba attacked the financial hub Mumbai with guns and bombs, killing 166 people including 26 foreign nationals in November 2008.

Pakistan has been pressing for a resumption of the dialogue, while India has maintained that Islamabad had to take concrete action against those responsible for the Mumbai attack before talks could resume.

India has been under increasing international pressure, especially from the United States, to resume the dialogue with Pakistan.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/307535,india-proposes-foreign-secretary-level-talks-with-pakistan.html.