India counters Pak ploy to rope in unmogip
In yet another snub to Pakistan’s efforts to internationalise the recent tensions along the Line of Control, India has told the UN Security Council that the role of UNMOGIP (UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) was “overtaken” by the 1972 Simla Agreement.
India has also reiterated its position that tensions along the LoC can be resolved bilaterally. Outraged by the recent killings of two Indian Army soldiers by Pakistani troops, New Delhi on Tuesday remained cold towards Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s offer of talks at the level of foreign minister.
Indicating the current strain in India-Pakistan ties, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid took note of the “deterioration” in “atmospherics”.
The external affairs minister said it was “important for us that we first ensure that the atmospherics return to normal or near normal... that in totality the situation becomes more amenable and acceptable in terms of public perceptions...”
The minister, who has already said that foreign minister-level talks cannot happen in a “jiffy”, again emphasised on Tuesday that “we cannot do anything in haste that would not lead to a constructive and creative outcome... We have to watch and analyse before we take any steps in the direction that would be a meaningful one”.
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