India and Pakistan discuss security
Interior ministers meet amid continuing recriminations over 2008 attack on Mumbai.
Pakistan is understood to be keen to resume full discussions on range of issues after India broke off talks following the Mumbai attacks. But New Delhi has so far limited discussion to efforts to combat militancy until Pakistan proves it is taking the issue seriously.
Foreign ministers meeting
The meeting between the interior ministers is being seen as a precursor for a potential meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries slated for mid-July.
Top diplomats of the respective foreign ministries met in Islamabad on Thursday, in talks described as being marked by “a great deal of cordiality, sincerity and earnestness”.
“The input from the meeting will help the Indian foreign minister to make up his mind whether to start the dialogue or to keep on dragging,” Hasan Askari Rizvi, a Pakistan- based analyst, said.
India believes that Pakistan supports armed groups operating within its borders in a bid to undermine New Delhi’s claim to the part of Kashmir that it controls.
New Delhi also blames a Pakistan-based armed group of carrying out the audacious attack on Mumbai, India’s financial capital, that left more than 166 people dead.
India’s leaders have made tackling the groups a pre-condition for the resumption of comprehensive talks over disputed issues such as Kashmir and water resources.
“Their main stress continues to be on terrorism. When they talk of confidence building, basically they are talking of terrorism,” Rizvi said.