In a candid and crystal clear statement that Pakistan will "not mend its ways", India on Friday dumped the talks offer by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and said the proposed meeting between the two Foreign Ministers stands cancelled.
MEA statement saying no to Sushma-Qureshi talks
PRESS RELEASE (Sep 21, 2018)
Since yesterday’s announcement of a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place. The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of twenty postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.
The decision to agree to Pakistan’s proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism.
Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan’s proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless.
In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York.
ends
He said, "The decision to agree to Pakistan’s proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan. The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism."
The statement further said - "Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan’s proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office".Therefore, the MEA statement said, "Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless".
India had agreed to the meeting between Foreign Ministers after letters from Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi to his Indian counterpart and also Pak PM Imran Khan's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his missive to Mr Modi, new Pakistan Prime Minister and a former cricket icon Imran Khan in his September 14 letter remained particularly firm about the possibility of meeting between the two Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meet in New York later this month.
"Would be better if the two countries' foreign ministers (Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mahmood Qureshi) can meet on the sidelines of UNGA in order to initiate a formal dialogue process that has been pending for long," Mr Imran Khan wrote in his letter.
Addressing his Indian counterpart as 'Modi Sahab', said he appreciates PM Modi's stance that "the only way forward" for the two countries lies in constructive engagement.
"Yeh sirf meeting hae, yeh koi talks nahi hae...yeh koi resumption of talks nahi hae (This is just a meeting, these are no talks...This is neither resumption of talks)," the Spokesman said, making it clear that the Sushma-Qureshi meet will take place only because there have been persistent requests from Pakistani side for that.
"I must distinguish between a meeting and a dialogue. This should be not confused with resumption of any dialogue, this is a meeting which we have agreed to, based on the request, which we have got from the Pakistani side. This does not indicate any change in the policy as far as our stand on terrorism and cross-border terrorism is concerned," Mr Kumar has said.
Ms Swaraj is expected to travel to New York next week for the annual UN General Assembly.
The timing and venue for the proposed and much expected Sushma-Qureshi meet is yet to be finalised, the MEA said.
Congress leader Sibal said he saw no justification in the meeting between Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart, just because Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter.
"Just because Imran Khan has written a letter, you feel enthused to talk to them....," Mr Sibal said and maintained that all these were perhaps only part of the 'double standard politics' of BJP.
Punjab Minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been insisting for dialogue between two sides.
"Pakistan se baat kya karenge aap (What really you want to talk to Pakistan)," Mr Sibal told reporters here.
"Will you remain 'maun (silent)' in that meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister," he said
For his part, even Imran Khan tweeted on August 21 in support of Mr Sidhu and called him an ambassador of peace. "Those in India who targeted him are doing a great disservice to peace in the subcontinent," Mr Khan had tweeted.
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