India, Pak agree to talk

Feb 11, 2011 |

Correspondent

Feb. 10: India will resume structured peace talks with Pakistan two years and two months after they were suspended following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

In a concession to Islamabad, all issues, including, but not limited to, Jammu and Kashmir, will be discussed, but without the label of composite dialogue. As per the decision announced simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, official-level talks on nine subjects will be scheduled over the next few months. They are: counter terrorism (including progress on the trial of the terrorists who carried out the Mumbai attacks); humanitarian issues; peace and security, including confidence-building measures; Jammu and Kashmir; promotion of friendly exchanges; Siachen; economic issues; Wullar barrage/Tulbul navigation project; and Sir Creek (at the level of additional secretaries/surveyors-general).

It will be topped by the meetings between the two foreign secretaries and foreign ministers, which can be expected to be held in New Delhi by July.

India had been maintaining that the talks could not resume until Pakistan gave it satisfaction on the issue of terrorism in general, and the Mumbai attacks in particular. However, Pakistan stuck to an all-or-nothing approach.

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