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PM’s Pak trip hinges on progress in 26/11 probe
Clean Media Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 09 (CMC) India made it clear that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan is unlikely to materialize without progress on Mumbai 26/11, despite foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar making a strong pitch for progress on disputes like Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek and impatience in Islamabad over "conditionalities" attached to Singh's travel plans.
Khar turned a joint briefing with Krishna into an extempore political speech saying "it takes two to tango...the two have tangoed" calling for a new approach to bilateral ties that could be read as "move on" message to India on 26/11. "When we speak of what is doable, it is about political will. There can be points of convergence on J&K, Siachen and Sir Creek. Aspirations of the Kashmiri people must be associated in the dialogue," she said.
Despite the powerful pitch, Krishna repeated the Indian insistence that for the PM's visit to materialize there has to be an assurance that it will be worth its while and that the "right atmosphere" prevailed. He was not swayed by the "move on" theme either. Speaking to Indian media a little later, he was emphatic that India was not going to drop its demand for action against 26/11 masterminds as the pre-condition for PM's visit. "Perpetrators of this heinous crime against Mumbai and India must be brought to justice. India is not going back on that. Pakistan must follow on this."
Making it clear that hard-nosed considerations, mood enhancers notwithstanding, will prevail before Singh makes a trip across the border. "As you know the PM's schedule is fixed much in advance," he said in response to the view that Pakistani leaders visit India at much less provocation.
Referring to Khars pointers to J&K, Sir Creek and Siachen, Krishna said, "These issues cannot be pushed aside. But there is a step by step approach. I had said the same two years ago (when a bilateral summit collapsed on Pakistan's insistence of Kashmir) and this has now been recognized as rational by the Pakistan leadership."
Official sources made it evident that 26/11 is pretty much central to Singh visiting Pakistan and India is looking for other takeaways such as Sir Creek as well. Impatience in Pakistani establishment on the PM's visit will not expedite Singh's plans.
Khar sough to outline a persuasive picture of Pakistan's desire not be "held hostage to history" and said a visa agreement to ease travel is "a first, big step" in normalizing relations. Khar has been emphasizing that Pakistan will be "pro-active" in pushing ties and it is for India to step up the pace of its response.
The suggestion that India has "hardened" its position was put across in a question to Krishna who was asked if ties are conditional to progress in the Mumbai attack investigation in Pakistan. Krishna took the opportunity to stress that a step by step approach will work and emphasized that a "four-hour meeting will not solve the problems."The Indian leader's staid style was in contrast with Khar's nimble play of words, but Krishna told a Pakistani journalist that "These issues have been bugging us for six decades." He said the PM is not shying away from coming to Pakistan but will take a decision when he is right and ready.
The Pakistani minister met a question on atrocities against Pakistani Hindus by saying that laws are in place to encourage minorities, including a representation in the civil services and then made a reference to problems she said Muslims were facing in India. "Society will build walls rather than laws. There are instances about Muslims in your country," she said.
Khar placed Pakistan's bid to step on the gas and push the Mumbai attacks onto the backburner in the context the need to silence critics of the peace process. She said failure to move ahead on J&K will strengthen cynics and naysayers. "We will not brood on divergences. What has happened is history. The future is the way forward," she said.
PM’s Pak trip hinges on progress in 26/11 probe
Clean Media Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 09 (CMC) India made it clear that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan is unlikely to materialize without progress on Mumbai 26/11, despite foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar making a strong pitch for progress on disputes like Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek and impatience in Islamabad over "conditionalities" attached to Singh's travel plans.
Khar turned a joint briefing with Krishna into an extempore political speech saying "it takes two to tango...the two have tangoed" calling for a new approach to bilateral ties that could be read as "move on" message to India on 26/11. "When we speak of what is doable, it is about political will. There can be points of convergence on J&K, Siachen and Sir Creek. Aspirations of the Kashmiri people must be associated in the dialogue," she said.
Despite the powerful pitch, Krishna repeated the Indian insistence that for the PM's visit to materialize there has to be an assurance that it will be worth its while and that the "right atmosphere" prevailed. He was not swayed by the "move on" theme either. Speaking to Indian media a little later, he was emphatic that India was not going to drop its demand for action against 26/11 masterminds as the pre-condition for PM's visit. "Perpetrators of this heinous crime against Mumbai and India must be brought to justice. India is not going back on that. Pakistan must follow on this."
Making it clear that hard-nosed considerations, mood enhancers notwithstanding, will prevail before Singh makes a trip across the border. "As you know the PM's schedule is fixed much in advance," he said in response to the view that Pakistani leaders visit India at much less provocation.
Referring to Khars pointers to J&K, Sir Creek and Siachen, Krishna said, "These issues cannot be pushed aside. But there is a step by step approach. I had said the same two years ago (when a bilateral summit collapsed on Pakistan's insistence of Kashmir) and this has now been recognized as rational by the Pakistan leadership."
Official sources made it evident that 26/11 is pretty much central to Singh visiting Pakistan and India is looking for other takeaways such as Sir Creek as well. Impatience in Pakistani establishment on the PM's visit will not expedite Singh's plans.
Khar sough to outline a persuasive picture of Pakistan's desire not be "held hostage to history" and said a visa agreement to ease travel is "a first, big step" in normalizing relations. Khar has been emphasizing that Pakistan will be "pro-active" in pushing ties and it is for India to step up the pace of its response.
The suggestion that India has "hardened" its position was put across in a question to Krishna who was asked if ties are conditional to progress in the Mumbai attack investigation in Pakistan. Krishna took the opportunity to stress that a step by step approach will work and emphasized that a "four-hour meeting will not solve the problems."The Indian leader's staid style was in contrast with Khar's nimble play of words, but Krishna told a Pakistani journalist that "These issues have been bugging us for six decades." He said the PM is not shying away from coming to Pakistan but will take a decision when he is right and ready.
The Pakistani minister met a question on atrocities against Pakistani Hindus by saying that laws are in place to encourage minorities, including a representation in the civil services and then made a reference to problems she said Muslims were facing in India. "Society will build walls rather than laws. There are instances about Muslims in your country," she said.
Khar placed Pakistan's bid to step on the gas and push the Mumbai attacks onto the backburner in the context the need to silence critics of the peace process. She said failure to move ahead on J&K will strengthen cynics and naysayers. "We will not brood on divergences. What has happened is history. The future is the way forward," she said.
It is required and India should have been hard on the issue much earlier!
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