Saarc gift: No-expectation talks end Indo-Pak chill

Prime minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan premier Yousaf Raza Gilani took the first cautious steps towards serious re-engagement on Thursday by asking their respective foreign ministers to meet.

Both the premiers met on the sidelines of the Saarc summit in Bhutan capital Thimphu. This is the first time that the India-Pakistan talks have not raised expectations.

Perhaps this is the reason that there has been some forward movement. The time and venue of the foreign minister’s meet have not been decided and much will depend on how sincere Pakistan is about bringing the 26/11 terrorists to speedy justice.

The composite dialogue between India and Pakistan came to an abrupt halt after the Mumbai carnage. Since then New Delhi had repeatedly turned down Islamabad’s offer for talks. But on Thursday, there was a definite breakthrough when India finally gave in to Pakistan’s demand for talks at the foreign ministers’ level which it had stopped since February this year.

Both India and Pakistan have been under tremendous pressure from the international community to resume the dialogue process.

Pakistan had long stressed that engagement with India must be on the basis of reviving the composite dialogue. India feels that the dialogue has run its course and the talks must be revived in another format. None of this has been decided yet and it will probably be the two foreign ministers who will take this forward.

“The prime minister’s instruction is that the foreign ministers and foreign secretaries should meet as soon as possible,” foreign secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters in Thimphu. “The focus is on charting the course forward. That definitely is the message from today’s meeting... searchlight is really on the future and not on the past,” the foreign secretary added.

Both India and Pakistan honestly admitted that there was a trust deficit in the relationship and nothing could move forward unless this gap is bridged. After the 50-minute meeting between the two leaders, Rao said: “The prime ministers held very good talks in a free and frank manner. They agreed that cooperation between the two countries is vital for the people of South Asia to realise their destiny.”

Manmohan Singh spoke at length on India’s disappointment at the slow progress of the trial against the Mumbai terrorists. Rao indicated that Gilani responded positively and understood the PM’s point.

“The Pakistani prime minister shared his perception on these issues in a candid manner and said his country is serious about prosecuting the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks and that all efforts were being made to bring the trial of these individuals to a speedy conclusion,” Rao said.

Gilani repeated that Pakistan will not allow its territory to be used for terrorist activities directed against India. She said both sides agreed that dialogue is the only way forward and it was essential to open channels of communication.

There was a need to restore trust and build mutual confidence, Rao added. On the issue of Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, Gilani said there were some difficulties as far as their judicial system was concerned. “We expressed hope that their laws to deal with such issues could be strengthened in times to come,” the foreign secretary explained.