India's national security advisor Ajit Doval and foreign secretary S Jaishankar met with Pakistani counterparts Nasir Khan Janjua and Aizaz Ahman Chaudhary for over four hours in the Thai capital of Bangkok, for an exchange which covered several outstanding issues, notably terror and Jammu and Kashmir. They have agreed to carry forward “the constructive engagement.” The Bangkok joint press release mentioned both Kashmir and terror in the topics of engagement, and top officials from both countries expressed complete satisfaction with the release.
“Discussions covered peace and security, terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir and other issues, including tranquility along the LoC,” the release said. According to Indian government sources, the issues were discussed in that particular order, starting with peace and security.
The meeting follows the quick chat between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawab Sharif in Paris recently, where the two leaders decided to resume contacts. Sharif had told reporters after their talk that Modi wanted the two countries to move forward. “Discussions were held in a candid, cordial and constructive atmosphere,” the joint release said. “They were guided by the vision of the two leaders for a peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia,” it added.
The Pakistan-India talks remained suspended since Jan 2014 because of violations of ceasefire on the Line of Control. Sharif and Modi had agreed in Ufa in Russia on a meeting of their NSAs for discussing terrorism threats, but it could not take place because of differences over agenda and Pakistan’s insistence on a meeting with the Kashmiri leadership.
Pakistani media welcomed the surprise NSA-level talks in Bangkok, terming it “a thaw in the frosty relations” between the two neighbours and a “side-effect” of BJP's rout in Bihar polls last month. It also said that the joint statement issued after meeting shows “New Delhi rowing back from its recent position and agreeing to discuss Jammu and Kashmir in the otherwise familiar mix of issues”. Back in India, while the Congress condemned the meeting, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed termed the talks “good beginning” said the two sides appear to be on a reconciliation path to bridge the “huge trust deficit”.
Congress leader Manish Tiwari said, “It's a grand betrayal. Its' a betrayal of everything that this government has ostensibly, publicly espoused.”
Sushma Swaraj in Islamabad
Meanwhile, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has arrived in Islamabad to participate in the ministerial session of the 'Heart of Asia' conference on Afghanistan. She is accompanied by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup, and Gopal Baglay, Joint Secretary in charge of Pakistan in the MEA, for the two day visit. While the visit is in lieu with the multilateral meet over Afghanistan, eyes are on the talks Swaraj will hold with counterpart Sartaj Aziz and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
