The talks between the foreign ministers will be preceded by a meeting of foreign secretaries and separate meetings of working groups on cross-border and nuclear CBMs, and tackling terror agreed during the talks in Islamabad last month.
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir is expected to come to New Delhi on July 25 to meet his counterpart Nirupama Rao, setting the agenda for the talks between the foreign ministers. Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, is expected to come to New Delhi for talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.
All issues will be on the table, including terrorism and Kashmir, Indian government sources told Economic Times. Unlike the foreign minister-level talks that broke down last year and degenerated into mutual recrimination, talks are being held this time round amid growing realization that both countries must keep dialogue process going. The process was resumed in February after more than two years of freeze following 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
Before foreign ministers ministers, India and Pakistan will have a meeting of their working group on new CBMs for expanding trade and travel across Line of Control (LoC in disputed Kashmir). Pakistan delegation on cross-border CBMs will be led by Zehra H. Akbari, Director General South Asia Division. Y.K. Sinha, joint secretary in charge of Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran, is expected to lead Indian team.
CBMs being discussed between two sides include launch of Kargil-Skardu bus link, increasing frequency of cross-LoC bus link between Srinagar & Muzaffarabad and increase in number of trading days across the LoC. Cross-Kashmir CBMs are likely to be announced by the foreign ministers July 27.
There will also be separate meeting of working group on nuclear CBMs, to be led by India's Venkatesh Verma, joint secretary in charge of disarmament & Pakistan's Irfan Yusuf Shami, Director General Disarmament Division in foreign office. Besides CBMS, two sides are engaged in intense negotiations for agreement on liberalizing visa regime. This could be sealed during foreign ministers meeting.
Clinton to visit India in July for strategic talks
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to visit India next month for strategic talks with Indian leaders, a spokesman for the Indian foreign ministry said on Friday.
The US secretary of state will be travelling to New Delhi to attend the second India-US Strategic Dialogue on July 19 after she presided over the first such meeting between the world's two largest democracies last year.
"We are working on a programme" for Clinton's visit, foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told AFP.
Prakash did not elaborate on the subjects to be addressed during Clinton's visit but regional security was expected to be high on the agenda.
India has long accused neighbouring Pakistan of harbouring militant groups and analysts say it is becoming increasingly concerned that growing unrest in Pakistan could compromise the safety of the country's nuclear arsenal.
COMMENTS (17)
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@Rsingh: we attacked balochistan? when? plz do tell.. i seemed to have ripped these all important historical events from my history book.... sigghhh ahve u ever been to balochistan? i have... u cant conquer that are.. not with ur drones and what not.. u just cant.. becasue of the tribal netrok and landscape.. u just cant...
@buhu!!: wht abt the RAW trained agents creating havoc in our country,.. shall we get to that too???
Pakistan has no locus standing on Kashmir, Is Pakistan the Dalal of all the Muslim in world. Pakistan has no control over itself and dream of controlling Kashmir and Afghanistan etc.
Kashmir never wanted to be part of India or Pakistan. India respected that but Pakistanis attacked Kashmir just as they did in Baluchistan. India gives huge aid to Kashmir where as Pakistan has brutally exploited Baluchistan. Cristina Fair a well known Pakistan apologist has admitted even if India gives kashmir to Pakistan on sliver platter even then Pakistan would not abandon its hostility against India. the matter of Fact is Pakistan wants to see India completely destroyed.
I don't want India to go to war with Pakistan unless until Pak does not give us terrorism ,there should be no talk no trade.
@Pankaj: It is true that most Indians do not believe in the Two Nations Theory i.e. that Hindus and Muslims are fundamentally incompatible and cannot live together. This includes the 150 Muslims like me, whose elders that chose to stay back in India.
Having said that, I do not think that 99.9% of Indians would have any interest whatsoever in merging with Pakistan. This is particularly true about Indian Muslims who do not want to automatically get branded as terrorists anytime we travel globally. Believe me that would be our fate if the 2 countries merged.
Nilesh, thank you. I want to see leadership and lawmakers in both countries to start using their time and energies more productively by encouraging constructive engagement, healthy partnerships, becoming a strong South Asia economic might. Pulling against each other for decades must stop. Both countries have millions of people that are being penalized for being quiet.
@Rsingh: @Pankaj, @Arijit Sharma Please don't try to twist Mr. Pervaiz Lodhie's statement, he is talking regarding respective nation foreign minister to create jobs in their own country. There is nothing negative and person's like Pervaiz are required to create decent soceity in this neighbourhood.
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.First the most core and burning Kashmir issue must be resolved on priority basis then the other issues because unless Kashmir issue is resolved only through peaceful means and talks the other issues shall remain in the pipeline and in regard of Kashmir issue Indian government has always been showing cold shoulders every time and after every peace talks Indian government declares Kashmir as its integral part which has been never its integral part and convert LOC into border.This is not the solution of Kashmir issue which Indian government is trying to find out because Kashmir is the only bridge between India and Pakistan for stable,strong and permanent friendship.
@ Pervaiz Lodhie: I agree with you. Those bad Indians are to be blamed for the entire mess that Pakistan is in. Now only if the Pakistani establishment would allow India to create jobs in Pakistan!
@Pankaj: " ... Man these were seeds of hatred sown by old generations, we as youth must break the invisible wall like the germans did. ... "
Advise to you - do not get carried away. Pakistan and Indian are not East/West Germany. Our philosophies are not compatible.
@Pervaiz Lodhie: " .... Mr. Krishna, stop wasting valuable time and start working on helping to create jobs in both India and Pakistan. .... "
How is creating jobs in Pakistan Mr. Krishna's responsibility ?
@Pervaiz Lodhie "Mr. Krishna, stop wasting valuable time and start working on helping to create jobs in both India and Pakistan." Mr. Krishna can not create jobs in Pakistan being an indian. We unfortunately separated long back on the name of religion. I am thankful that not all Muslims left us, we are proud to have mughal gems from nuclear technology to cricket in our secular nation. Had we been together today my friend, I bet my best shirt that there would be no America or China bullying us. We would have a cricket team with best pakistani bowlers and best indian batsmen(with saeed anwar from ur land without a doubt). Tell me a team in world who could beat us. Man these were seeds of hatred sown by old generations, we as youth must break the invisible wall like the germans did.
Terrorism has always been part of any dialogue between these two nations!! Its rather strange that no progress has ever been made, all India has heard are promises and have showed their patience, which really is getting to the level of being insult to their intelligence !!! There is no need for this talks or dialogue, in present climate, as Pakistan is really incapable of delivering anything they promise !! Leave them to their devices and policies, as they about to face the harsh reality of payback time. Don't waste time with these talks as they really need India, at present more than India needs them !!!! Dump this charade!! close the bloody door on them!!
@Pervaiz Lodhie- This is what my government been doing. And SORRY i did not know Mr. SM Krishna was Foreign Minster of Pakistan also.
India will not expect to give any ground until our government and military/ISI fully and forever renounce terrorism and "strategic assets". These terrorists have destroyed our neighbors' faith in us (neither Afghanistan or India want to play with us because we have tried to be the bad kid) and they have destroyed our own country killing 35,000+ Pakistanis.
This is not America's war. This is our war. We must defeat the terrorists. Our government and military/ISI must extricate all terrorist and religious fundamentalist elements at once. The survival of Pakistan hangs in the balance.
Mr. Krishna, stop wasting valuable time and start working on helping to create jobs in both India and Pakistan. This will make a much bigger impact on reducing terrorism at a much lower cost to both countries. Work together on Alternative Energy Resources. Work on becoming Environmentally Responsible Country. Work on Social Change in your remote villages. Invest in bringing TEAM SPORTs to every corner of both countries. You will see quick and huge Return on Investment (ROI).
Terrorism must be given 1st priority.
yeaa, he is right, both India and pakistan are suffering from terrorism from pakistan