NEW DELHI: India on Monday again blamed Pakistan for ‘derailing’ the dialogue process between the two countries, but was careful to say there is ‘no fullstop’ in diplomatic relations.
According to Economic Times, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said people always move forward after short pauses, indicating that there may be a window for resumption of talks in the near future.
“There is no full stop in diplomacy; it's always comas and semi colon. And after all this, people always move forward. There are no full stops in a diplomatic journey."
Questioning the reason behind Pakistan holding talks with Kashmiri separatists, Swaraj said it was not "too much" to ask Pakistan to not interfere in the internal matters of India.
"I do not know what was the need for their High Commissioner to invite the Kashmiri separatists and talk to them. He himself invited them. Why they derailed the talks (with India)? What did they achieve?....Who derailed the initiative? (It is) Pakistan," the Minister said.
Responding to a question whether Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sideline of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month, which both are supposed to attend, Swaraj said it will depend on the situation in the coming days. However, she deflated expectations for a possible meeting by noting that the two premiers were not attending the assembly with a "preset mind" to meet.
Swaraj also expressed India's disappointment in delay of the trial of Mumbai terror attack case in Pakistan while drawing a distinction between 2008 attacks in the country's commercial capital and bomb blasts in Samjhauta Express in 2007.
COMMENTS (30)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Dipak@Aschraful Makhlooq: You are confused. India tried to hold plebiscite per UN resolution, but it was Pakistan that would not allow people to decide, thereby, rejecting UN resolution. You should have known this if your Military allowed you to read correct information. Go on internet and study the real history.
@Aschraful Makhlooq: Then why kashmiri don't vote if they don't want Indian forces and cancel article 370 and become independent. Nehru said after pakistan army should move back and law and order established as per UN resolution. What are you saying UN resolution got over in 1957. Policies changes with the change in PM everyone knows. Indian government never made such promises only Nehru did. Later sheikh signed sheikh-indra accord and said Kashmiri opposes plebiscite. How come India forcibly deployed when the king itself signed instrument of accession? Nehru never said that India or Pakistan. If it goes to Pakistan then which areas of Pakistan will India get. Boundaries and areas were decided by Jinnah himself and he never mentioned about Kahsmir.
@vinsin:Why Kashmir is a disputed territory not the creation of Pakistan given that neither Pakistan allows Indian Muslims nor India Muslims moved to Pakistan after creation. Because India forcibly deployed its forces inn Kashmir in 1947 whereas Pandit Jawahir La'al Nehru said in his historic speech in a UN's meeting that Kashmiri people will decide themselves that either they want to affiliate with India or Pakistan but later after his death Indian government refused to accept his these golden words and in 1948 first war between Pakistan and India took place and since 1947 India is occupying Kashmir territory and has deployed its approximately 600,000 troops in Kashmir......
It is not India but Pakistan too has taken a rigid stand on Kashmir issue as both countries are not ready to part with one inch of land and claim the entire Kashmir valley to be their land. In such circumstances, chances of any compromise appear to be extremely remote which both sides understand quite well by now. However, both sides need to engage in talk for the satisfaction of the international community and Kashmiris in particular. India on its part is doing its best to bring more development in Kashmir and sway the disgruntled Kashmiris to its side, but conditions in AJK are far from satisfactory. The only issue which India needs to discuss is cross-border terrorism which Pakistan is committed for the past three decades and refuse to abandon the same despite suffering immensely from this self-destructive policy.
@Worek kim: Indians do not get swayed by Western press. All the negative press aout Modi in Economist and CNN, denial of visa by US did not sop Indians from electing Modi because we believe he is good for India. Western media writes what benefits their countries and that is to be expected. That does not however mean it can pressurise India into accepting Pakistan's meeting with insurgents even if a weak former PM had allowed a precedent to be set.
Waaao!!!!!!! World blames India but India blames Pakistan on talks cancellation, wake up Indians and smell the coffee. I guess none in India bothers to read western newspapers.
@Aschraful Makhlooq: Why Kashmir is a disputed territory not the creation of Pakistan given that neither Pakistan allows Indian Muslims nor India Muslims moved to Pakistan after creation.
@Virsa: Then why kashmiri don't vote in their assembly and cancel article 370 and declare themselves independent. UN resolution says that Pakistan is the occupier. Muslims do not believe in human rights and no human rights laws exists in India. This is the first time that a party won a election based on women rights and Indian Muslims are opposing it. Circumcision is against human rights and I have not seeing Kashmiri Muslims demanding laws to stop it. UN resolution got over in 1957. After partition India was supposed to get 75% of land for non-muslim.
How shamefully India is trying its best and utmost to show sincerity and honesty to resolve Kashmir issue on the basis of false,fabricated and embellished statements by claiming Kashmir its integral part and without considering Kashmir a disputed territory.Unless India considers Kashmir a disputed territory Kashmir issue can never be resolved and Pakistan-India relations can never be normalized doesn't matter how much trade and business between Pakistan-India boosts up and increases.....
Simple case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Indian forceful occupation of Kashmir is violation of territorial integrity as well as violation of international human rights. This dispute must be resolved through UN Resolution which clearly says that Kashmir is disputed territory and it must be resolved according to the wishes of Kashmiri people.
I wonder when this blame game will end. Modi government is responsible for the cancellation of foreign secretary level talks. BJP's leadership is not serious that's why his cabinet is bashing against Pakistan.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: Read history, kashmir was a princely state and not of Kashmiri. Why only Kashmiri should have that exclusive right? Why not other people of the world or other princely state? And what do you want to decide? Britishers, Jinnah and Sardar Patel already divided and drew the lines in the subcontinent as demanded by Indian Muslims and given land as per population of Indian Muslims in 1947. What about non-muslims of Indian Subcontinent? You already got Pakistan and world don't support Kashmiri on their demand. Why dont you just move to Pakistan? Why didn't Kashmiri discussed this with Jinnah before line was drawn. By your logic lahore belongs to Sikhs and Kashmir itself is not a muslims name and has no history associated with it. Kashyaps are the original inhabitants of Kashmir.
@Sun Tzu: agree
@Haider: MFN status has nothing to do with foreign secretaries. It is Pakistani duty and Indian right. Foreign policies changes with every new PM in every country whether US or India. It is irony that India was ruled by Congress most of the time since independence.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: "Kashmir is for Kashmiris to decide" but which kashmiri Hindu Kashmiri or Muslim kashmiri, by the way Hindu kashmiri are original inhabitant of kashmir
Neither Kashmiris nor Pakistanis (neither the rest of the world) consider Kashmir issue as an internal matter for India.
Kashmir is for Kashmiris to decide, and not anyone else. (period) No comas or semi colons needed.
India is living in its own deluded isolation about Kashmir. Times will change, but Indian stubbornness will not. Muslims around the world recognize Kashmir as independent and a Muslim country.
@Wellwisher:
while I understand your logic, India needs to be more diplomatic than this. MFN and talks are not comparable. Firstly India is not losing anything by not getting MFN - maybe peanuts. By not giving MFN to India Pakistan is in violocation of International Law - as long as they continue - they will remain with this black mark across their face. So India is being wise and not demanding anything too much here! On the other hand talking to Pakistan is of no use till Pak Army continues it's hostile and "strategic asset" policies. This is also resulting in a very bad name in the international forums. So it is good India cut off talks and was able to blame Pakistan for that too - as they met the hurriyat!
As far as India goes, it just needs to guard it's border stringently, and work towards getting Pakistan declared as a "state sponsor of terrorism".
Dipak@Wellwisher: India can do without MFN status. It's Pakistan's loss.
NS is a proven failure, he has no guts or wisdom at all, everything he touches gets ruined and all his blind supporters can do is blame IK for everything that goes wrong in the country.
She has mean bitter look. A lot of baggage on board. No doubt. Will be more worried about fighting off the wolves nipping at her heels, for her job. And making the right inflammatory remarks to appease the right wing Hindutva zealots. All so predictable Sad.
@Insider Human loss due to terrorism,investment loss,financial loss, resignation of eminent ministers due to non anticipation of such events, sometimes fall in govt,extra headache while governing one's state and country, facing pressure by public to act on it or face defeat in next election. Yeah right I see india govt benefiting so much getting fired and abused repeatedly by its masses for terror,border attacks that have origins across the border and being soft on it. ET moderator I hope you be fair and publish this
Blames blames and allegations.Does India know anything other than this @Wellwisher Much delayed MFN was stopped When India blamed Pakistan over Mumbai Attack...How can u think of MFN when foreign secretaries cant talk with each other.Just give time.... India has called off and blamed Pakistan...I know Simla Agreement there was nothing new in Pak meeting hurrayat leaders..It have been happening in past.India making no objections before set PRECEDENT
et plz allow it
I found some similarities between Ik and India. Both of them first refuse to talk then start crying that Pakistan or government isn't sincerely talking. Grow up Modi and Ik.
@Insider: The basic flaw in your argument is that you assume rational behavior is a given.
@Insider: Your logic provides as much sense as "Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism."
Pakistan is already war torn, weak and fragile and financially bankrupt.. what would it gain from border violations, Mumbia attacks and other such activities? All these activities attract entire world's negative remarks and attitude towards Pakistan, we get abused by everybody. I don't get what does Pakistan gain from this? On the other hand the main beneficiary is India who gets a huge opportunity, every time, to malign Pakistan and use their strong media to spill out venom on a large scale. When will we understand this?
As if Pakistan hasn't noticed; India has becoming more hostile to its neighbor. Threatening and war mongering gestures are turning out almost every day.
Do not mess with this lady. She is another Durga ( 71 Indira Gandhi) . She is NO Nonsense minister in cabinet full of that characteristic.
India should begin talk only after Pakistan gives much delayed MFN status to India.
As I said earlier, NS and Modi will meet on the sideline of the UN General Assembly in New York. It will just for both leaders to continue to maintain cordial relationship. Beyond this nothing will happen.