Indo-Pak talks are 'encouraging step' to restore dialogue: SM Krishna

Government today said the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan represented an "encouraging step" towards restoring dialogue and better communication but made it clear that the engagement would depend on response to India's core concern on terrorism.

Making a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament a day after the talks, external affairs minister SM Krishna said the Indian side had told Pakistan that "trust and confidence" must be restored if "we are to build upon the past discussions held between the two countries at an appropriate time."

Quoting prime minister Manmohan Singh, he emphasised that India could "not wish away the fact that Pakistan is our neighbour" and that the government was convinced that door for dialogue with it "must not" be shut.

"The talks between India and Pakistan .. represent an encouraging step towards restoring dialogue and better communication between the two countries," Krishna said while informing Parliament about yesterday's meeting between foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in New Delhi.

Underlining that "communication and engagement represent the best way forward", he insisted that by talking, India was not diluting its position or resolve to defeat terrorism.

At the same time, he said, "India's engagement with Pakistan will be predicated, as it has been since the Mumbai attack, on the response of Pakistan to our core concerns on terrorism."