Pakistan has indicated its readiness for the foreign secretary-level talks on February 25, saying the two sides need to “move forward”, but insisted on resumption of a composite dialogue covering Kashmir and other outstanding issues that is “meaningful and result-oriented”.
Responding to the two sets of dates proposed by India for the talks, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that February 25 is “not a bad date” for the talks. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had proposed February 18 and 25 as dates for the talks with her Pakistan counterpart Salman Bashir. The composite dialogue between the two sides was suspended in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
“I believe we should move forward. Common sense states that talks should be held as soon as possible,” Qureshi said. “What is important is that we start talking. Of course, we feel that these talks should be the restart of the composite dialogue and take it up from where we left off. After all, all the issues that both sides want to raise are included in the composite dialogue,” he said in separate interviews to Geo news channel and the News daily.
“We have many outstanding issues on our agenda, like the Kashmir issue that India recognises. There is the waters issue on which there should be talks,” he said.
“If you do not hold talks on these issues, the talks will not be beneficial. Do you want progress or just talks? We want progress and not talks for the sake of talks. We want meaningful and result-oriented talks,” he said.
