|
|
With just a month left for the meeting of India and Pakistan in Trinidad for ending the cold war between the two nations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opted to hold talks with Islamabad on a humanitarian basis, so that the dialogues between the two nations can be resumed.
This looks as if it is a replay of the events which took place before the Sharm el-Sheikh summit happened, when the US had indicated the resumption of the stalled dialogues between the two nations for ensuring stability.
"I appeal to the government of Pakistan that the hand of friendship that we have extended should be carried forward. This is in the interest of people of India and Pakistan," Manmohan Singh said in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday.
But he has mentioned that for as "productive dialogue" it is "essential that terrorism must be brought under control".
But the information regarding the Pakistani representative at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit has not yet been disclosed. The CHOG summit will be the first meeting between top India – Pak leaders after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, which happened in Egypt on July 16, 2009.
With Pakistan failing to taking any stringent action against the Mumba1 26/11 suspects, there are very less chances that the CHOG dialogues will be successful.
But amidst this, Prime Minister has mentioned that the dialogues will be held on humanitarian basis alone. He, while talking about improving the trans-Kashmir trade, had stressed in a veer of "humanitarian issues whose resolution requires the cooperation of Pakistan."
India is "ready to discuss these and other issues with the government of Pakistan. I hope that as a result things will be made easier for our traders, divided families, prisoners and travellers," he said, putting the welfare of people at the heart of India-Pakistan engagement.
Pakistan has welcomed Manmohan Singh's readiness to discuss all outstanding issues and sought the mediation of the US to resume dialogue when Gilani met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her maiden visit to Islamabad Thursday.
A statement from Gilani's office quoted Clinton as saying that while she was aware that "it is a difficult process, the US government would support efforts for early resumption of the composite dialogue."
Significantly, Manmohan Singh will head to Port of Spain immediately after a state visit to Washington where he is sure to face pressure on resuming dialogue with Pakistan, a move that Washington thinks will free Islamabad to focus on combating the Taliban-Al Qaeda combine in its lawless border areas.
Manmohan Singh, however, Thursday denied any international pressure on resuming talks.
