Indian PM isolated on Pakistan: WikiLeaks
US judges that Manmohan Singh is isolated within his own government over talks with Pakistan.
NEW DEHLI:
The United States judged that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was isolated within his own government over pushing for resumed talks with Pakistan, cables obtained by WikiLeaks revealed Tuesday.
Pakistan and India suspended talks in 2008 after gunmen killed 166 people in the western Indian city of Mumbai, and only agreed last month to resume their dialogue.
In an August 2009 diplomatic cable published by The Hindu newspaper, US ambassador Timothy Roemer reported that Singh was "more isolated than we thought within his own inner circle".
Roemer said Singh lacked allies because he was a "great believer" in communicating with Islamabad – in contrast to the then national security adviser M.K. Narayanan.
The prime minister said earlier this month he would approach new peace talks with an "open mind", adding that all disputes including a long-running feud over Kashmir would be discussed.
"We wish to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries through friendly dialogue," he said.
Pakistan's recently-appointed Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar is slated to visit her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna in New Delhi in July at the start of the full-scale resumption of talks.
India and Pakistan started a formal peace dialogue in 2004, continuing until the rupture caused by the Mumbai attacks.
The nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947, and relations have been plagued by border disputes and accusations of Pakistani militant activity against India.
The United States judged that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was isolated within his own government over pushing for resumed talks with Pakistan, cables obtained by WikiLeaks revealed Tuesday.
Pakistan and India suspended talks in 2008 after gunmen killed 166 people in the western Indian city of Mumbai, and only agreed last month to resume their dialogue.
In an August 2009 diplomatic cable published by The Hindu newspaper, US ambassador Timothy Roemer reported that Singh was "more isolated than we thought within his own inner circle".
Roemer said Singh lacked allies because he was a "great believer" in communicating with Islamabad – in contrast to the then national security adviser M.K. Narayanan.
The prime minister said earlier this month he would approach new peace talks with an "open mind", adding that all disputes including a long-running feud over Kashmir would be discussed.
"We wish to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries through friendly dialogue," he said.
Pakistan's recently-appointed Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar is slated to visit her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna in New Delhi in July at the start of the full-scale resumption of talks.
India and Pakistan started a formal peace dialogue in 2004, continuing until the rupture caused by the Mumbai attacks.
The nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947, and relations have been plagued by border disputes and accusations of Pakistani militant activity against India.