External Affairs Ministry on Friday said India was yet to take a final call on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on Sri Lanka.
Asked whether the issue was discussed with the Sri Lankan Minister who was in the Capital on Thursday for the Indian Ocean-centered maritime security trilateral, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said: “There was no substantive discussion in that meeting on this matter.”
Talking to journalists, Mr. Akbaruddin said: “However, we agreed that we will be in regular touch because we have missions in Geneva and they will be in regular touch on this.’’ Stating that officials were examining the draft resolution and that all aspects of the matter would be factored in before taking a view, he added: “There are discussions going on in Geneva and we will take it from there.’’
On the cross-Line of Control trade, the spokesman said this was an Indian initiative to try and build on the existing confidence-building measures between the two countries. “Currently, they have a form which is a single-entry thing. Because there is now trade going on, they require more than one entry. So, a suggestion was made by us that there be a multiple entry booklet.”
Referring to the stalling of trade because of the arrest of a Pakistani truck driver for narcotic smuggling, India informed Pakistan that there was no provision in the standard operating procedures for intra-Kashmir trade that entailed the release of a driver or anyone else who came across the LoC if he was involved in criminal activities.
