PHOTO: AFP
Amidst speculation whether the two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the 70th UN General Assembly session this week, a source said Nawaz and Modi will both stay at the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.
Read: PM Nawaz departs for New York to attend UNGA session
There has been no official announcement about any possible bilateral meeting between the two leaders and Pakistan has said the request for the meeting has to come from India. However, it remains to be seen whether the two leaders will come face-to-face during their stay in the hotel.
“Our position is very clear. India called off the NSA-level dialogue last month and the request for any meeting must come from you. India has to take the initiative,” Aziz said in a telephonic interview with the Hindustan Times.
Read: Request for Nawaz-Modi meeting in US should come from India: Aziz
Islamabad has not yet received any request from New Delhi for a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Aziz told the Indian newspaper. “Nothing so far,” he said, “If there is a request, our stand is clear. We want a discussion on all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.”
PM Nawaz departed this morning for New York and Modi is scheduled to reach on September 25.
The peacekeeping summit will be addressed by the UN secretary-general and Obama.
Read: At 11th hour, NSA talks called off
PM Nawaz will address the summit on September 30, a day before Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj addresses the gathering of world leaders on October 1.
The Waldorf Astoria has traditionally been the hotel of choice for US presidents when they visit the city for the annual UN General Assembly sessions.
However, last year a Chinese company purchased the hotel, triggering concerns of potential cyber intrusions by Chinese hackers if Obama stayed there. Obama and his staff will be staying instead at the New York Palace Hotel this time.
‘Pakistan, India agree to follow tenets of 2003 ceasefire to maintain peace on LoC’
A senior Indian army officer said on Tuesday that Pakistan and India had agreed to follow the tenets of 2003 ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit in order to maintain peace on the Line of Control (LoC), reported The Hindu.
“Various mechanisms will be set in place for maintaining peace and tranquillity [along the Line of Control in J&K]. Both sides agreed to a lot of things and agreed to further continue this process so that the LoC can remain tranquil and we [India and Pakistan] follow the tenets of [the] 2003 ceasefire [agreement],” Indian General Officer Commanding 16 corps Lieutenant General R R Nimbhorkar said.
Read: Pakistan, India to hold flag meeting at LoC today
The statement came after a brigadier-level flag meeting in Poonch between top commanders from the Pakistani and Indian armies.
The Indian GoC further stated that the main aim of the meeting was to resolve the ceasefire violation issue and that both sides had expressed concern over the safety of civilians who ‘inadvertently’ become the target of firing and shelling from both sides.
“Yes, there should be concern for the people of the country. There should be concern on both the sides. Yes there was concern on both the sides [expressed by officers of Pakistan and India at Tuesday’s Flag Meeting]. And this concern was the main reason that both sides went for the negotiations,” Nimbhorkar said.
The Indian officer clarified that the meeting was not held to convey a strong message and that it took place in a cordial manner. “We didn’t go [to the flag meeting] with the aim of conveying any strong message. Basically, it is to sort out the differences for the conceptions or misconceptions which are happening.
Therefore, we had a Flag Meeting which was in a cordial manner,” he said.
Read: LoC skirmishes : Pakistani, Indian commanders meet to defuse tensions
Speaking about the outcome of the talks, he said, “Our aim was basically to maintain peace and tranquility. We also have casualties and they too have casualties in this firing, so these people should not suffer.”
This articles originally appeared on The Hindu and Times of India.
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