At a high-level inter-ministerial meeting, the Pakistani governmentdiscussed India's offer for foreign secretary-level talks and sought a "meaningful and result-oriented composite dialogue" to resolve outstanding issues and usher peace and stability in South Asia.
Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Quereshi chaired the meeting at the foreign office. The meeting was attended by foreign secretary Salman Bashir, high commissioner for India Shahid Malik, director-general (South Asia) Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi, senior military and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) officers, and officials from the defence and interior ministries.
The meeting was "convened to consider the Indian offer to resume dialogue with Pakistan and to evolve Pakistan's views towards the Indian proposal", a statement said.
India has proposed talks at the level of the foreign secretaries later this month. The two sides are yet to decide on a date and venue for the meeting.
Official sources said that when foreign secretary Nirupama Rao conveyed the proposal for talks to Bashir last month, she gave no indication that the parleys would lead to a resumption of the composite dialogue, which was suspended by India in the wake of the Mumbai attack.
The Pakistani foreign office has suggested that Islamabad should adopt a cautious approach and ensure that the talks lead to a resumption of the composite dialogue, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the Dawn news channel quoted its sources as saying
that some participants in today's inter-ministerial meeting were of the view that the proposed talks would be pointless unless "core issues" like Kashmir are on the agenda.
The sources were quoted as saying that Pakistan should hold talks but ensure that outstanding issues are not set aside.
Comments