Pakistan and India fail to achieve breakthrough: peace talks end

The second round of peace talks between Pakistan and India concluded without any breakthrough but the two sides agreed to hold another round of dialogue ahead of foreign ministerial level talks in New Delhi next month besides reiterating the intention "to carry forward the dialogue process in a constructive and purposeful manner."
The two sides that met for the final round of foreign secretary level talks, however, described the discussion as constructive and substantive in which Pakistani side was led by foreign secretary Salman Bashir while his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao led her country's delegation.
Before appearing at the eleventh hour for a joint press briefing to share the joint statement following the conclusion of the talks, the two sides had earlier arranged separate press briefings reflecting that the peace talks failed in achieving tangible results.
However, the joint statement said the talks were held in a frank and cordial atmosphere in which the two sides reiterated their intention to carry forward the dialogue process in a constructive and purposeful manner. The foreign secretaries of the two countries also exchanged views on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and agreed to continue discussions in a purposeful and forward-looking manner with a view to finding a peaceful solution by narrowing divergences and building convergences.
"We held deep conversation on the issue of Kashmir" said Salman Bashir while responding a question, adding there is well known positions of both the countries regarding Kashmir issue. "We have agreed to continue to further discuss all related matters specifically the issue of Kashmir...this is the issue we would like to take forward", he added.
Giving the Indian perspective, Nirupama Rao said that there was a need to build peace and reconciliation step by step. "We must do away with the shadow of the gun and extremists violence because it could only be done in an atmosphere free of violence that we can discuss the resolution of such a complex issue", she said. In this regard, she said that the convening of the LOC CBMs Working Group, was a very important step, adding "people are at the heart of our relationship and we must help the people of Jammu and Kashmir to connect with each other, to trade, to travel more easily and essentially this is the process we need to build on, to strengthen, to sustain."
To another query, she said that India wanted a satisfactory closure to the Pakistani trial of some of the men arrested for planning 26/11 Mumbai incident. This, she said, was necessary for the normalisation of relations. Bashir said that while he understood India's concerns, "the issue of terrorism requires objectivity and we hope and expect it to be addressed in a collaborative manner." Rao to another question regarding Samjhota Express incident, said that investigation into the incident was underway and outcome would be shared with Pakistan when completed.
The joint statement add: Under the resumed dialogue process, the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India met in Islamabad, on June 23-24, 2011 for bilateral talks on Peace and Security including CBMs, Jammu and Kashmir and promotion of friendly exchanges. Three sessions of talks were held.
The issues of peace and security, including CBMs, were discussed in a comprehensive manner. Both sides emphasised the importance of constructive dialogue to promote mutual understanding. They noted the on-going implementation of various Nuclear and Conventional CBMs. They also decided to convene separate expert level meetings on Nuclear and Conventional CBMs to discuss implementation and strengthening of existing arrangements and to consider additional measures, which are mutually acceptable to build trust and confidence and promote peace and security. The dates for the expert level meetings will be determined through diplomatic channels.
The Foreign Secretaries noted that both countries recognise that terrorism poses a continuing threat to peace and security and they reiterated the firm and undiluted commitment of the two countries to fight and eliminate this scourge in all its forms and manifestations. They agreed on the need to strengthen co-operation on counter-terrorism.
Both sides agreed to convene a meeting of the Working Group on Cross-LoC CBMs to recommend measures for strengthening and streamlining the existing trade and travel arrangements across the LoC and propose modalities for introducing additional Cross-LoC CBMs. The Working Group will meet in July 2011.
Both sides agreed to the need for promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries. They noted with satisfaction the progress made towards finalisation of the Visa Agreement which will help liberalise the visa regime and facilitate people-to-people, business-to-business and sports contacts.
The two sides also discussed measures for promoting co-operation in various fields including, facilitating visits to religious shrines, media exchanges, holding of sports tournaments and cessation of hostile propaganda against each other. The Foreign Secretaries agreed that people of the two countries are at the heart of the relationship and that humanitarian issues should be accorded priority and treated with sensitivity. The Foreign Secretary of India called on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Hina Rabbani Khar.
The Foreign Secretaries will meet again in New Delhi, on a date to be decided through diplomatic channels, to prepare for the meeting of the Foreign/External Affairs Ministers in New Delhi in July 2011. Earlier, Bashir said that the issuance of joint statement proves that they have very productive and constructive engagements with a sense of purpose. "I must underscore here that the quality of engagements really matters and have every reason to be satisfied with the quality", he said, adding they have started again very substantive process which, he said should be recognised.
He said that the visit of his Indian counterpart provided an opportunity to fulfil the mandate given to them by respective prime ministers of the two countries, following a meeting in Thimphu, Bhutan, in April last year on the sidelines of Saarc Summit.
Terming the discussions as constructive and substantive, Nirupama Rao said that they discussed a wide range of issues with her Pakistani counterpart guided by the vision of prime ministers of the two countries to build trust and confidence by discussing various issue in an open and constructive and forward-looking manner.
"We have been fully conscious of the complexities in our relationship and the consequent need to take incremental steps to promote mutual confidence and understanding", she said adding, in doing this, we are inspired by our goal of the eventual normalisation of the India-Pakistan relationship and the resolution of outstanding issues through peaceful, sustained and serious bilateral dialogue.
She further said that the ideology of military conflict should have no place in the paradigm of relationship of the two countries in the 21st century. "Indeed, this relationship should be characterised by the vocabulary of peace; on ground co-operation in the interest of our peoples, growing trade and economic interaction as well as people to people contacts, and on this let me emphasise, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence", she added. Rao said that the talks that they have held this time were not an event in isolation but part of a dialogue process which is building greater trust between the two countries. "We also took this opportunity to exchange views on preparation for the meeting of our ministers of external and foreign affairs in New Delhi next month", she added.