In what appears to be a significant development, India and Pakistan's foreign ministers are meeting later this month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. This development comes in the light of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan extending an offer to resume peace talks.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar confirmed that a meeting would take place between Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi. While Swaraj is scheduled to address the 73rd session of UNGA on September 29, Qureshi address is scheduled September 27.
He, however, made it clear that it should not be confused with initiation of dialogue process. "This is a meeting we have agreed to and should not be confused with a dialogue. The meeting has been agreed to as per the request from Pakistan," he said.
Diplomatic missions in both the countries, as well as at the UN, are working overtime to determine the time and venue of the meeting as per mutual convenience. Kumar further said that while agenda has not yet been finalised, the issue of opening of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara on the eve of the beginning of 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak in November will be raised by Swaraj. Kumar said that while India continues to stand by PM Modi's assertion that talks and terror cannot go together, there can be talks on the specific issue of ending cross-border terrorism.
The last time the foreign ministers of both countries met was in December 2015, when Swaraj travelled to Islamabad to attend a Afghanistan-related conference.
Earlier this month, Modi in response to Khan's letter, had stated that he seeks "meaningful and constructive" engagement between the two neighbours. In reciprocation, Khan recently extended the offer to resume peace talks. Khan's letter was the first formal proposal of bilateral dialogue since he formed the government in Pakistan last month.
KHAN TO MODI: LET’S TALK AGAIN
Pak leader has extended offer to resume peace dialogue; india clarifies meeting in new york not part of dialogue, will take up kartarpur again
ROAD TO KARTARPUR
- 1974 India, Pak sign protocol on visits to religious shrines, including 15 shrines in Pak. Didn’t include Kartarpur Gurdwara (resting place of Guru Nanak)
- 1999 PM Atal Bihari Vajjpayee raised issue with counterpart Nawaz Sharif at Lahore
- 2004 PM Manmohan Singh proposed corridor to Kartarpur
- 2005 Pak allowed pilgrims, but not to include in bilateral protocol
- Sept 2018 India announces to take up the issue again during talks between Sushma Swaraj with Shah Mehmood Qureshi
SIDHU’S CLAIM LAST MONTH: Navjot Singh Sidhu, a minister in the Congress-led Punjab government, claimed he was told by Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa that Islamabad would grant access to the Gurdwara on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, in November.
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 "(From L-R) Imran Khan, PM Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj and Shah Qureshi")
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