Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
NEW DELHI:
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave no clear reply on Saturday as to whether he would meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Singh said he was constrained by the absence of ‘concrete actions’ by Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 2009 Mumbai attacks to book.
“If the terror acts do not stop, if those who voice terrorist thoughts move about freely, if there is no significant progress in bringing the culprits of the Mumbai massacre to book – that I have to factor in before arriving at a final decision,” Singh said on his way back from the G20 meeting in St Petersburg.
The Indian premier, however, said he respected his Pakistani counterpart and his sentiments for peaceful ties between the two neighbouring countries.
“I have always maintained that we can choose our friends, but we have no choice with regard to our neighbours. And, therefore, under normal conditions, I would be happy to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has said the right things about how relations between our two countries should evolve.”
The Indian PM’s remarks came as back channel negotiations are under way to assess if a meeting between the two premiers could take place. The Indian side is cautious due to the coming elections as any action that is seen a capitulation before Pakistan – in the absence of any ‘meaningful moves by it over the Mumbai events – will immediately be seized upon by India’s opposition parties for political leverage, experts say.
At this point, the Indian establishment is wary of committing itself even on the dates. Though the Indian PM’s dates in New York have been announced, the Indian foreign office said it did not know if they would coincide with Nawaz Sharif’s presence in New York then. Singh will be meeting Barack Obama, something that the Indian side said, might be denied to Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2013.
COMMENTS (17)
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@Californian Desi: I endorse your views that MS should give some space to NS. However, MS should make it clear to NS that SS should not be present at the meeting. I think NS is trying his best but he has only limited room to maneuver. By asking NS not to bring SS to the meeting MS will be passing a strong message and this message will be picked up in other capitals also. SS and his group is the problem and India should isolate them.
in my honest opinion Nawaz do deserve a chance. Indian Government very well knows that the Pakistani Army and militants are not in complete grasp by Pakistani Government. It cannot hold them responsible for this mess. By not talking Manmohan will show democratic government of Pakistan in bad light. To get Nawaz more power India will have to help Nawaz by starting this strategic dialogue and making it clear to naysayers that any act of barbarism and brutallity cannot detter the more general will of common men of India and Pakistan for demanding peace which is more of a necessity and not merely an option.
Enough is enough. Let us agree to disagree.
Let us not talk. Any such attempts always leads to unrest in the border. We have a big issue to cross over and improve our economy. There are many burning problems in the queue.
Let our economy talk on behalf us.
Many may not like it, but economy is the game changer in this global village.
This is last chance for pakistan after 2014 no more congress. after that no discussion only action.BJP rocks.
I dont get it, why this urgency in mending relations with India? Get your house in order and then talk to India; not be talked to!
@Aschraful Makhlooq: Why should cre a neighbour whose soil is used for attack on Mumbai?What is the use of meeting a premier( government) who is unable to contain the open hate activities of Hafeez saeed in Pakistan . How can a premier / government initiate positive steps whose foreign policy (towards India) is not under his control. normalization process can begin from trade normalization. what happened to accord MFN status to India. ( India accorded this status to Pakistan a decade back) so the nut shell is that better protect own national interest and also the border firmly and disengage the talk. and mind it disengaement does not mean war. Talks had been continuing since last 40 years without any positive result. kargill war was imposed on India when the peace process was going on. So in case MMs is not inclined to talk to NS it has nothing to do with the ensuing election in the year 2014.I Rather it is a policy decision. ( Pakistan had been and will remain out of the agenda of Indian general election. It is the governance and development which matters)
@singhman Uncle Singh is forgetting that their own security forces officer claimed that these attacks were staged and done by the government/internal sources
And Pigs are flying. Mate get some facts before writing nonsense. That's a load of humbug by a disgruntled officer.
@Singhman: palestine is inside job. gujurat riots were inside job . it was a shia sunni fasadat.
what about hafeez said he is roaming freely in pakistan . i saw his video on youtube.... i saw how he brainwashes naive and innocent people by his concocted theories about india.... he said india is responsible for every wrong thing in pakistan.....he said that time has come for gazwa- e- hind......according to him the most sacred thing allah has given is "jehad" .....he said " inshaallah we will continue our fight....kashmir hi nahi abhi to hame india se hyderabad bi lena hai.."
WHAT MESSEGE PAKISTAN WANTS TO CONVEY BY ENDORSING PEOPLE LIKE HAFEEZ SAID
For all starters india will never negotiate on kashmir and i am a indian shia having roots in kargil and this is written on the wall.
INDIAN security forces have won the proxy war sponsored from across the border and when india didnt come under pressure in 90 when the world was against it and its economy was in doldrums and ussr was not there to support it,than come what may in 21 century INDIA will not give a inch of kashmir.on the other hand the other side has much to loose .
Lets not carry the weight of past and usher south asia in a era of peace and prosperity.
According to Ex Indian Minister, Mumbai attacks were planted and fabricated by Indian Govt. with the help of RAW. It was done through a secret planning and Pakistan was held responsible for this in order to divert the attention of International community on the issue of Kashmir and hiding the brutality of Indian Army in occupied Kashmir. His every speech is full of prejudice and include hatred remarks against Pakistan, in contrast Pakistan Premier is showing restraints and still urging for negotiations. If MMS don't want meet that who cares.
We Pakistani people don't care either MMS meets MNS or not and this is not the first time that India is showing the such this type of uncaring attitude and ignorance.India has been as usual showing uncaring attitude and ignorance by raising baseless pretenses and allegations with Pakistan on every burning and core issue by showing dishonesty and insincerity most especially importantly Kashmir issue......
Uncle Singh is forgetting that their own security forces officer claimed that these attacks were staged and done by the government/internal sources. India needs to realize the importance of this dialogue. Alas, it is very unlikely to happen.
Manmohan Ji! you are so unpopular among Indians that you have lost the mandate to talk to Pakistan... it will be the last nail in your Premiership.
It is only our PM who is dying to meet you, we want him to focus on National Issues but he love to focus on India.