Nawaz encounter on hold: Singh links ‘concrete action’ to NY meeting
Says his hands are tied until Pakistan brings Mumbai attack perpetrators to book.
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.
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.