Ahead of the India-Pakistan Foreign Secretary-level talks in Thimphu early next month, officials have cautioned against heightened expectations.
“Nothing dramatic is expected to come out of the meeting. It is an attempt to unlock the process once again,” the officials told journalists here on Friday.
With Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi unlikely to attend the Thimphu SAARC meeting where External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will be present, all eyes are expected to be on a meeting that will take place on the sidelines between Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Basheer.
However, according to indications given by the officials, India will be pressing Pakistan, as it did during high-level interactions last year, to focus on deliverables.
This is an approach that Pakistan has not favoured, having argued at these meetings to restart dialogue that covers all issues, including Kashmir and Siachen.
“We had put forward some suggestions in June and July last as well as in February. We have to talk to engage each other as there is no other alternative. Our orientation is to start with what we can do such as the judicial committee on prisoners, outstanding trade-related issues, Sir Creek, and counter-terrorism. These issues can be addressed and should be addressed. We have to, of course, see the reaction from the Pakistani side,” official sources said adding, “We are trying to unlock the process again to see what we can plan to do for the year.”
The two Foreign Secretaries were speaking over the phone for the past few weeks, and the meeting in Thimphu would provide a “little more clarity” on how to go about solving the outstanding issues.
“The Foreign Secretaries have spoken about the forthcoming Thimphu meeting and how to discuss the outstanding issues in our relationship. We hope the meeting will help us get a little more clarity on issues we need to address. The visit of Mr. Qureshi is another item on the agenda, but it won't be decided at the meeting. We are hoping to finalise this in the near term but can't venture guesstimates,” the sources said.
