India, Pakistan take step forward to normalize ties
http://t.co/T49CCnXZ
Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Apr 10, 2012, 01.09AM IST
NEW DELHI: India-Pakistan home secretary-level talks may take place in Islamabad late next month, amid indications that the engagement may have acquired a bigger dimension than it seemed to have and will be crucial for progress in normalization of ties.
Although both sides are likely to focus on a new visa agreement, making it easier for businessmen to get one-year multiple-entry non-reporting visas, the meeting will also display Pakistan's readiness to punish perpetrators of 26/11 attack on Mumbai -- India's pre-condition for restoration of normalcy.
The linkage between whether Islamabad is ready to take concrete and verifiable measures against the attackers of Mumbai, including Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed, was publicly stressed by India during Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's Sunday visit, rebutting any estimate that it was ready to move beyond Mumbai attack.
In fact, the occasion saw India publicly shedding any ambiguity about what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meant when he said in Seoul last month that solid progress needed to be achieved before he availed of Pakistan's standing invitation.
It is significant that the public display of firmness came after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi suddenly decided to opt out the lunch Prime Minister Singh had hosted for Zardari. No official explanation was given for the unusual absence of a leader who has routinely met all important visiting dignitaries, but it was unlikely to be because of indisposition. For, only the day before Sonia had a full working day, and had met colleagues from UP, Punjab and elsewhere.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi refused to react to speculation, saying, "I am surprised that how all of you are speculating on something as innocuous as this. You are forgetting firstly that from the Congress party Shri Rahul Gandhi was there. And we do not know the reasons - there could be 101 reasons, maybe she was unwell, I don't see any reason or right to anybody to start speculating like this. I think it is best left at that".
The absence is viewed significant because Congress chief never appeared to share the enthusiasm of the PMO to promote ties with Pakistan despite latter's reluctance to take strong counter-terror measures. Congress's reservations were the main reason why government had to virtually dump its bold diplomatic initiative at Sharm-el-Sheikh in 2009 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to Pakistan's insistence to discuss alleged Indian role in Balochistan.
India, which intends to strongly pitch for action against the 26\11 mastermind and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed during the talks, has sought fresh dates from Pakistan after May 22. New Delhi has conveyed to Islamabad that it is not possible to go by earlier proposed dates in April due Parliament session that ends on May 22.
"We have asked for fresh dates after the Parliament session," Union home secretary R K Singh said here on Monday - a day after Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed that both the countries should discuss host of issues, including Hafiz Saeed and liberal visa regime, in detail during the proposed home secretary\interior minister-level talks.
Though these issues came up for discussion when both Singh and Zardari met here on Sunday, both leaders decided that they would be discussed in detail during the home secretary-level talks. Singh hosted a lunch for Zardari on Sunday when he was here on a "private visit".
Sources said that though the India had shared with Pakistan a detailed dossier on Hafiz Saeed long ago, the home secretary would carry with him more details on the LeT founder. It will include the National Investigation Agency's chargesheets in the 26\11 case comprising additional information on the terror mastermind.
On liberal visa front, both the countries will try to arrive at an agreement allowing businessmen from both sides to be given multiple-entry one-year, non reporting (to local police\FRRO) visas. "There will be a provision to give one-year multiple-entry visa to those businessmen whose credentials are certified by trade chambers on the both sides. However, such visas will not be multi-city visas as per the existing proposal that will be discussed during the talks," said an official.
Both PM Singh and President Zardari had on Sunday agreed to finalize the new visa agreement at the earliest. Pakistan had earlier suggested the April 16 (or sometime during later part of this month) as the possible date for the talks. But, the date clashes with Conference of chief ministers on internal security which is being called by the home ministry.
"The budget session of Parliament will also resume after the break on April 24. Besides, there are other meetings lined up including one of chief ministers on issues concerning the anti-terror body - National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)," said an officer.
Earlier, India had proposed the home secretary-level talks in late December, but Islamabad could not give its consent due to its domestic political situation at that time..........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTIvMDQvMTAjQXIwMDkwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
http://t.co/T49CCnXZ
Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Apr 10, 2012, 01.09AM IST
NEW DELHI: India-Pakistan home secretary-level talks may take place in Islamabad late next month, amid indications that the engagement may have acquired a bigger dimension than it seemed to have and will be crucial for progress in normalization of ties.
Although both sides are likely to focus on a new visa agreement, making it easier for businessmen to get one-year multiple-entry non-reporting visas, the meeting will also display Pakistan's readiness to punish perpetrators of 26/11 attack on Mumbai -- India's pre-condition for restoration of normalcy.
The linkage between whether Islamabad is ready to take concrete and verifiable measures against the attackers of Mumbai, including Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed, was publicly stressed by India during Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's Sunday visit, rebutting any estimate that it was ready to move beyond Mumbai attack.
In fact, the occasion saw India publicly shedding any ambiguity about what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meant when he said in Seoul last month that solid progress needed to be achieved before he availed of Pakistan's standing invitation.
It is significant that the public display of firmness came after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi suddenly decided to opt out the lunch Prime Minister Singh had hosted for Zardari. No official explanation was given for the unusual absence of a leader who has routinely met all important visiting dignitaries, but it was unlikely to be because of indisposition. For, only the day before Sonia had a full working day, and had met colleagues from UP, Punjab and elsewhere.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi refused to react to speculation, saying, "I am surprised that how all of you are speculating on something as innocuous as this. You are forgetting firstly that from the Congress party Shri Rahul Gandhi was there. And we do not know the reasons - there could be 101 reasons, maybe she was unwell, I don't see any reason or right to anybody to start speculating like this. I think it is best left at that".
The absence is viewed significant because Congress chief never appeared to share the enthusiasm of the PMO to promote ties with Pakistan despite latter's reluctance to take strong counter-terror measures. Congress's reservations were the main reason why government had to virtually dump its bold diplomatic initiative at Sharm-el-Sheikh in 2009 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to Pakistan's insistence to discuss alleged Indian role in Balochistan.
India, which intends to strongly pitch for action against the 26\11 mastermind and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed during the talks, has sought fresh dates from Pakistan after May 22. New Delhi has conveyed to Islamabad that it is not possible to go by earlier proposed dates in April due Parliament session that ends on May 22.
"We have asked for fresh dates after the Parliament session," Union home secretary R K Singh said here on Monday - a day after Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed that both the countries should discuss host of issues, including Hafiz Saeed and liberal visa regime, in detail during the proposed home secretary\interior minister-level talks.
Though these issues came up for discussion when both Singh and Zardari met here on Sunday, both leaders decided that they would be discussed in detail during the home secretary-level talks. Singh hosted a lunch for Zardari on Sunday when he was here on a "private visit".
Sources said that though the India had shared with Pakistan a detailed dossier on Hafiz Saeed long ago, the home secretary would carry with him more details on the LeT founder. It will include the National Investigation Agency's chargesheets in the 26\11 case comprising additional information on the terror mastermind.
On liberal visa front, both the countries will try to arrive at an agreement allowing businessmen from both sides to be given multiple-entry one-year, non reporting (to local police\FRRO) visas. "There will be a provision to give one-year multiple-entry visa to those businessmen whose credentials are certified by trade chambers on the both sides. However, such visas will not be multi-city visas as per the existing proposal that will be discussed during the talks," said an official.
Both PM Singh and President Zardari had on Sunday agreed to finalize the new visa agreement at the earliest. Pakistan had earlier suggested the April 16 (or sometime during later part of this month) as the possible date for the talks. But, the date clashes with Conference of chief ministers on internal security which is being called by the home ministry.
"The budget session of Parliament will also resume after the break on April 24. Besides, there are other meetings lined up including one of chief ministers on issues concerning the anti-terror body - National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)," said an officer.
Earlier, India had proposed the home secretary-level talks in late December, but Islamabad could not give its consent due to its domestic political situation at that time..........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTIvMDQvMTAjQXIwMDkwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
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