Pakistan is not ready to oblige India with a calibrated approach to bilateral ties. Though India hosted ameeting between foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpartSalman Bashir, Pakistan is unlikely to send out an invitation for a second round, unless there’s a meeting between the two foreign ministers.
The February 25 meet went reasonably at the foreign secretaries level, but took a turn for the worse afterBashir met national security advisor (NSA) Shiv Shankar Menon. The NSA drove home the pointthat there would be no forward movement unless Islamabad acted swiftly on Indian concerns. The atmosphere at the meeting was cold and unfriendly. Bashir’s angry words at the news conference immediately afterwards reflected the mood.
So, for the moment no invitation is forthcoming for Nirupama Rao, though Islamabad is ready to engage with foreign minister SM Krishna. Though the two foreign secretaries decided to “remain in touch” after their first ice-breaker, nothing like that has happened as Islamabad is now bent on composite talks or a meeting at the political-level.
The government realises that talking to Pakistan without getting justice for those killed during 26/11 is tough, since the public mood is not prepared for that. The Congress party knows this and is not enthusiastic about reviving composite dialogue without having anything to show for it.
Prime minister Manmohan Singh realised this when he burnt hisfingers last year with the Sharm el-Sheikhjoint statement. This is why he does not want to rush into a full-fledged dialogue with Pakistan. The government is working out a step-by-step, incremental approach towards Islamabad hoping this will be much more acceptable to the Indian people.
The PM and his Pakistani counterpartYusaf Raza Gilani are both expected to attendthe nuclear security summit called by US president Barack Obama next month. It is not known whether the two will get a chance to have a bilateral in that crowded schedule. Much more likely will be a meeting between the two leaders at the Saarc summit in Bhutan on April 28-29. Ahead of the summit, there will be a meeting of ministers which will be an opportunity for Krishna andQureshi.
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