India not to go ahead with talks

The deadly serial Mumbai blasts today had their impact on the peace process with Pakistan, with India deciding not to go ahead with the foreign secretary-level talks that were expected to be held here next week.

There was little likelihood of the talks being held in the current situation against the background of the Tuesday blasts which had killed nearly 200 people, official sources said, adding any dialogue was possible only in a conducive atmosphere.

Reflecting New Delhi's mood, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told reporters here that "unsettling events" had taken place, an apparent reference to the Mumbai blasts.

"Cooperation is a two-way street. No cooperation can be one sided....India will do what it has to do," he said.

Saran, however, said the (peace) process (with Pakistan) was not off.

Though there was no schedule of the talks between the foreign secretaries, the two countries had agreed in January that the dialogue could be held on July 21 which was to be confirmed by the two sides.

While Pakistan had 10 days ago expressed its readiness for the talks next week, New Delhi had not given any response.

Earlier in the day, the Congress party indirectly put a question mark on the relevance and continuation of Indo-Pak talks.

Denouncing the continuation of cross-border terrorism, vice-chairman of the party's media cell Abhishek Singhvi said today that Government of India should immediately take such concrete steps as would create confidence in the people here.

"The Congress party does not believe in stalling talks or eliminating the confidence-building measures but no peaceful country can try to continue talks amidst an atmosphere of destruction, terror and mayhem," said Singhvi.