Willing for Serious Dialogue, But Pakistan Not, Says India

Willing for Serious Dialogue, But Pakistan Not, Says India

NEW DELHI: India Tuesday said it was willing for a "serious dialogue" with Pakistan on all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, within the framework of the Simla agreement and Lahore declaration and Islamabad's tactic of seeking to internationalise the Kashmir issue will not succeed.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin also said that Pakistan must take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation on the border created by ceasefire violations.

The framework in which all outstanding issues can be resolved and a peaceful and cooperative relationship built between the two countries was the Simla accord and the Lahore declaration, he said.

"We have already stated that we are willing for serious dialogue in this framework. It will cover all issues including that of Jammu and Kashmir. It seems from what Pakistan is doing, it is not interested in this kind of dialogue," Akbaruddin said.

He was answering queries about the letter to UN Sectary General Ban Ki-moon by Sartaz Aziz, adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on national security and foreign affairs in which he accused India of "deliberate and unprovoked violations" of ceasefire agreement and cross border firing and has sought the world body's intervention.

Akbaruddin asserted that Pakistan's move will not succeed.

"Sending of a letter to the UN secretary general by Pakistan is a well-known tactic and it has not worked earlier, it will not work now," he said.

Akbaruddin said if Islamabad was interested in serious dialogue, the road was from Islamabad to Lahore and then to New Delhi.

He said if the road taken is to New York, it will not serve any purpose and it will be a "diversionary tactic".

He also said there was no scope of third party intervention in bilateral relations.

Akbaruddin said that Indian forces will "continue to respond appropriately" to firing by Pakistan along the border and demanded that Islamabad should take immediate steps to restore peace and tranquility along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

He also said that Pakistan should end sponsorship of terrorism against India.

The spokesperson said India will not accept violence on the border or LoC or continued terrorism against its citizens.

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