The new ‘Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue’ will result in a “new beginning” in ties between India and Pakistan, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj told the Parliament today.
“The new (Comprehensive Bilateral) Dialogue, we sincerely hope, marks a new beginning also for peace and development in the whole region … The new Dialogue with Pakistan has the twin aims of removing hurdles in the path of a constructive engagement by addressing issues of concern, and at the same time, of exploring and establishing co-operative ties,” Swaraj said in the Lok Sabha on her recent visit to Islamabad.
Swaraj made it clear in Parliament that during the meeting between the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of India and Pakistan in Bangkok, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir being impacted the most due to terrorism and cross-border firing was discussed.
“Discussions between the two NSAs in that meeting were held in a candid, cordial and constructive atmosphere. They focused on peace and security, terrorism, tranquility along the Line of Control, and Jammu & Kashmir — the State which has been most directly impacted by terrorism and violation of the LOC,” she said.
The NSA-level meeting in Bangkok, which happened between India’s Ajit Doval and Pakistan’s Nasser Khan Janjua, was an outcome of a meeting between Modi and Sharif on the Paris Climate Change summit or COP21.
Reiterating India’s “commitment to good neighbourly ties with Pakistan”, Swaraj said the Narendra Modi-led government had met it clear to Pakistan in the beginning itself that both sides would discuss all outstanding issues.
She highlighted that “continued estrangement” with Pakistan will only act as an obstacle towards having a “peaceful and prosperous” South Asian region.
“The underlying sentiment on which I am confident that this House concurs fully was that the continued estrangement of two neighbours was a hurdle to the realisation of our shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous region. At the same time, there was also a sharp awareness that the principal obstacles to the growth of ties, especially terrorism, would have to be clearly and directly addressed,” she added.
She said during her meetings with Aziz and PM Sharif both neighbours “condemned terrorism and resolved to co-operate to eliminate this menace.”
“There we dwelt on the need for Pakistan to expedite the Mumbai terrorist attacks trial. The Indian side was assured of the steps being taken to expedite its early conclusion,” she added.