Salman Khurshid. PHOTO: AFP
In an interview with The Australian newspaper published Monday, Khurshid admitted that the relationship with the neighbour was fraught.
"We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth," he said.
"But the on-the-ground reality and the results of our meetings are very disappointing."
However, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last month vowing to go the "extra mile" to make peace with India, Khurshid said Delhi would take him at his word.
"Pakistan has a lot of very, very difficult issues to deal with at home," he was quoted as saying.
"Our view is that we should give them time, not at our cost, of course, but that we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
"When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word."
But with recent shootings at the border among the heaviest since a ceasefire agreement in 2003, Khurshid pointed out that Pakistan has not yet followed through on its promise of top-level military meetings to sort out better arrangements in Kashmir.
"If they can address the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism, that would be a good start," he told the newspaper.
COMMENTS (40)
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How does this guy see with those glasses?
Enjoy the picnic that minority appeasing Congress is giving yo9u for now. This will not last long. After 2014 elections whether Modi wins or lost, we will make sure this picnic has ended.
The definition of 'Insanity' is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting a different result.
So a question for the Indian govt. - Why?
Haven't you learn from the past yet? How many such 'benefits of doubts' has India granted in the past - and what has been the outcome?
@Rakib: It's far simpler than "finders keepers". A territory does not become disputed simply because an outsider lays a spurious claim to it. What is to stop Pakistan from laying claim to Orissa - or an Island in Greece for that matter? Should India lay claim to Sindh? Or Afghanistan to NWFP? If Pakistan wants to tear up the Instrument of Accession under which Kashmir became part of India, maybe they would like the British to tear up the Independence of India Act ......... ? The essence of the problem is that Pakistan is more ready to sign treaties and agreements than to honor them. The Simla Agreement is another example. Kargil is yet another example. Now that ingrained habit of perfidy is taking an internal toll, and has resulted in medieval intrigue among multiple claimants to the governance of Pakistan itself. A happy outcome! It is difficult to communicate with a country which fails at such a basic level.
@ Indian reader...
Kashmir is not an integral part of India it has never been an integral part of India, Jammu and Kashmir is disputed territory between India and Pakistan.
@Pakistani: I think it will help you to talk to some of your servicemen who survived action in 1971 and Kargil. They should be able to tell you about the toys they faced, and the ensuing results. Alternatively, you could go back to school - provided you don't have a learning impediment.
@Stealth:
"Soon after independence, India quickly invaded Hyderabad, Diu, Daman, Goa, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Sikkim, Manipur and Kashmir."
Read some real history book other than the official propaganda from Pakistan studies. Diu, Daman, Goa, Dadra, Sikkim, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal, Pakistan, Bangladesh were all part of ancient Hindu land for over 6000 years, Also, add Hyderabad to the list. So, how can one invade one's own ancestral ancient land?
@Stealth: U d classic example of misinformed category brother . Demand truth and accept it even if u don't like it .
@Pops: Vigilant? Not sleeping? You are talking as if you you guys got over with this in an hour. It took 6 months. Well your analogy is too faulty. I have read you guys are working on drones as well? I bet they would rather be toy drone quadcopters.
@Pakistani: The guy that watched jupitor, he is a soldier not an astronomer. They had to show it to an astronomer to identify it was Jupitor. At least the guy was vigilent, not sleeping on the job like your army. The Americans flew in grabbed Bin Laden and left, before your army woke up. You keep on going on about this incident, i know who i would rather have on watch. It is better to report it and be wrong, then let it be a security risk. You know it too deep inside.
I hate to be pedantic, but what is the item on which Pakistan is being accorded " .. benefit of the doubt .. "? That Pakistan is helpless against an established terrorist infrastructure? That Pakistan has lost control of internal security? That Pakistan can no longer defend itself, neither from American nor Taliban attacks? That Pakistan is no longer a financially viable entity? That Pakistan has a Govt only in name? That Pakistan is no longer trusted by any nation on the planet? The Indian FM is willing to suspend belief in any of these and accord "benefit of the doubt"? Or did he mean "India is willing to give them some slack"? Why didn't he say so then? A strange choice of words, at best! I think I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Though I am beginning to have doubts about him now.
If Indians are showing some willingness to further talks then Pakistan should avail this opportunity in good faith and negotiate peaceful co-existence, it will benefit both the poverty stricken countries with enormous out of control population.
If you read the comment in context it's a positive sign - India recognizes that Pakistan has internal issues that are complex and not subject to quick resolution - benefit of the doubt maybe poor choice of words.
Minister of India double standard in his own statement.. i suppose “We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth,” he said. """“But""""
“When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word.” """"But""""
simple he wants to acknowledge BUT he maybe don't... say something nice BUT it seems not
India ready to give Pakistan 'benefit of the doubt' ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If pakistan truly wants peace with India, They must give up sponsoring terrorists.
Until and unless you send your infiltrators back out of my Kashmir, and there is safe passage for Pandits to return to our homeland, I think talks are pointless. The terror machine across the border has to be dismantled before we can discuss anything.
Slaman khurshid & co. are soon going to be unemployed, please ignore what they say.
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT?
So the Indians were not really sure after all.
Pakistan was right that the "evidence" provided by the Indians was not of a standard that would stand the scrutiny in a court of law.
We rest our case.
Pakistanis are so gullible and naïve, when it comes to diplomatic relations, like when Khurshid says 'in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth from people. Pakistan need to deal India with a more far-sighted and clever approach, keeping in mind the track record of India vis-a-vis breaking up of the eastern wing, now Bangladesh.
Soon after independence, India quickly invaded Hyderabad, Diu, Daman, Goa, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Sikkim, Manipur and Kashmir. All of these places had decided that they did not want to be part of India, but India invaded them with coercion and shrewdness. Sikkim was actually a separate country, but India invaded it anyway and annexed the place. Many people died because of India’s imperial conquests. The Manipur conflict lasted many years and the Kashmiri conflict continues to this day. Many other areas in the Northeast also refused to join India in the beginning and all were attacked sooner or later.
And ET is ready to take benefit of doubt from India.
India can do nothing if Pakistani establishment keeps its public ill-informed or misinformed. How about allowing Hamid Mir and Talat to go to the LOC and show the reality on TV, just like Barkha Datt of NDTV and many from other Indian TV channels keep providing live coverage? Has any Pakistani TV covered current events on the LOC? How can India help if general Pakistani public does not understand the meaning of Mr. Khurshid's comment? Pakistani public must demand the truth.
In the game of diplomatic Chess.........that's a smart move. Now if our counter move is sensible its a win-win situation for Pakistan.
Never knew that FM Khurshid can deliver a below the belt punch. First Indian PM at the UNGA and now Indian FM Khurshid. Seems India is on a roll.
We have no doubt about your game of delay and disception. Some thing bound to happen again in the next 1- 3 year as your scape plan from negotiation. Guess what, you get to blame Pk again :)
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'benefit of the doubt' ... but there is no doubt that indian support to tarriest through Afghanistan Pakistan should take this issue with force internationally ..
Give them benefit of doubt and keep fueling tensions in Balochistan and in along the way if an ant dies in India blame it on Pakistan....this is called two faced diplomacy
“We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth,” he said. “But the on-the-ground reality and the results of our meetings are very disappointing.” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++= Isnt that the Kargil story?
"“If they can address the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism, that would be a good start,” he told the newspaper."
Shouldn't you start by "dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism" by removing your Indian men out of Kashmir first?
Matured approach from India. Ball of peace is now in Pakistan's court.
when we talk about talks, we are giving you guys the benefit of doubt. everyone knows the potential of your armed forces who took 6 months to distinguish between spy drone and jupiter. you are in a serious need of such benefits.