Krishna to visit Pak on July 15 for talks

The decision on the mid-July meeting date was fixed on Tuesday during a 30-minute telephonic conversation between the two foreign ministers. Krishna said following his telephonic talks that their exchanges were fruitful and they proposed to discuss “all outstanding issues” between our two countries “in an atmosphere of mutual trust and mutual respect”.

The foreign ministers’ conversation followed instructions to them by their respective prime ministers at Thimphu on April 29 to revive the substantive dialogue process that was stalled in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The two prime ministers had held a prolonged meeting on the sidelines of the Thimphu SAARC summit.

The prime ministers had decided that the foreign ministers and the foreign secretaries would work out the methodology as to how the dialogue between the two countries should be carried on so that all outstanding issues between our two countries could be discussed in an atmosphere of mutual trust and mutual respect.

Following the telephonic conversation, Qureshi was quoted by news agencies as saying that the two sides would go into the July talks with an open mind and positive approach and asserted that the terror acts will not be allowed to impede the dialogue process. “Trust deficit will be bridged by talks during which we will discuss outstanding issues,” he said.

The next few months will be the season of talks between the uneasy neighbours. The home ministers of the two countries are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of SAARC home ministers’ conference in Islamabad on June 26. This meeting was originally planned a couple months ago.

Two foreign secretaries too would be meeting again to take their dialogue forward on June 26. Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, who will accompany Home Minister P Chidambaram for the SAARC meet, will finalise the agenda for the Krishna-Qureshi meeting during her talks with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir.
It is likely that Krishna and Qureshi would meet again in Delhi soon after their July meeting in the Pakistani capital.