‘Delhi not serious about dialogue resumption’

Pakistan accuses India of not being serious about the resumption of the peace process between the neighbours.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan accused India on Thursday of not being serious about the resumption of the peace process between the two neighbours and sought US intervention to help resolve issues in the subcontinent ahead of President Barack Obama’s crucial trip to New Delhi.

“We have no concerns regarding President Obama’s visit to India. We hope his visit will help bring peace in the region,” said Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit at a weekly news briefing.

His remarks coincide with the statement of new US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter, who disclosed that President Obama will bring a message of peace for the region during his upcoming visit to India. Munter told the state-run Radio Pakistan that President Obama, who is scheduled to arrive in India on November 6, will tell the Indian leadership that Islamabad and New Delhi can find solutions to their problems by working together.

At the recently concluded strategic dialogue in Washington, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged President Obama to take up the Kashmir dispute with the Indian leadership during his visit to New Delhi. “His coming visit to the region is the time to begin to redeem the pledge, that he made earlier,” Qureshi said.

During his election campaign, President Obama promised to appoint a special representative on Kashmir if voted to power. But he backtracked on his words when he named Richard Holbrooke as his special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Obama excluded India after New Delhi opposed the idea of being bracketed with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“We hope during his visit President Obama would take up issues which are central to ensuring peace in the region,” said the Foreign Office spokesman.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2010.