Going back to its oft-repeated stand, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz made it clear “no dialogue will take place with India unless Kashmir issue is included in the agenda.”
Aziz, who was present in the meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Ufa, Russia last week, came out with a two-page statement before reporters here and took a few questions.
While a joint statement issued after the Sharif-Modi talks said the two sides will find ways and means to expedite the Mumbai trial, Aziz today indicated that it will take some time, putting the onus on India.
“We need more information and evidence to conclude the (Mumbai) trial. The reference to ‘additional information’ (in the Ufa statement) is a recognition of the need that more information is needed to expedite the trial,” he said.
Aziz said the joint statement clearly recognises that “India and Pakistan have a collective responsibility to ensure peace and promote development. To do so, they are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues”. “And we all know which are those outstanding issues. <g data-gr-id="42">Kashmir of course</g> tops the list of outstanding issues, but there are also other important issues like Siachen, Sir Creek, Interference and Water,” he said.
He said Pakistan stays firm on its principled stance on the issue with dignity and honour and “no compromise” will be made on it.
Aziz said India has been repeating its traditional accusations of cross <g data-gr-id="82">bord</g> terrorism while overlooking the decisive counter-terrorism campaign launched by Pakistan in the past two years.
Noting that all the issues will now be followed up through different channels, he said Sharif-Modi “meeting served to achieve one major objective, i.e. reduce tensions and create environment for meaningful talks on all issues of importance to both countries.”
The adviser said the Ufa meeting was not the formal start of any dialogue process but it served an important purpose to achieve an understanding that both neighbours must reduce tensions and hostility in order to constructively engage in a structured dialogue on all issues of bilateral and regional interest, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting provided an opportunity to identify some areas where the two countries could promote cooperation right away in order to reduce tensions and hostility, he said, adding that peace and tranquility on the LoC and Working Boundary is in the interest of both countries. He said even though at present ceasefire is by and large being maintained, there have been occasions when this ceasefire was violated causing casualties and injuries to people inhabiting those areas.
Aziz said both leaders agreed that the existing mechanism of regular meetings between DG Rangers, DG BSFs and DG MOs should be held to ensure full compliance with the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.
He said the two sides have also agreed to revive Track II dialogue to explore ways of resolving issues that are lingering for a long time and need to be resolved in order to give peace a chance.
Modalities for this track will be worked out through diplomatic channels, he added.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan High Commission has invited Kashmiri separatist leaders to an Eid Milan event on July 21 at its mission here.
The move to invite the separatists was on Monday defended as “nothing unusual” by Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit who said Pakistan will continue extending its “full moral, political and diplomatic” support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their legitimate struggle for self-determination.
Last year, India cancelled talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries after the Pakistani envoy hosted Kashmiri separatist leaders before the dialogue.