India not prepared to evolve a roadmap for talks: Basit

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, July 18 (PTI) Pakistan wanted to evolve a
roadmap to discuss bilateral issues with India during the
recent Foreign Minister-level talks but the other side was not
prepared to do so, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said
Sunday.
Though a roadmap was not determined during the talks
between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Indian
counterpart S M Krishna on July 15, there is hope for progress
in future, Basit told the media.
He expressed the hope that diplomatic channels will be
able to explore the possibility of evolving a roadmap for
resolving bilateral issues before the next round of talks.
Basit contended that the Indian side "remained stuck
in modalities" on which a lot of time had already been spent.
Pakistan raised all issues with India, including the
Kashmir issue, Afghanistan and differences on sharing river
waters, he said.
Pakistan wanted to take the talks forward on "core
issues" but India was not ready to do so, he claimed.
Islamabad approached the process of engagement with
New Delhi with a "very open mind and a positive approach", he
said.
Responding to a question, Basit said there is no other
way but diplomacy and dialogue to solve bilateral disputes
between India and Pakistan.
Before his meeting with Krishna, Qureshi took all
stakeholders, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, into confidence and he was fully
mandated to take initiatives, Basit remarked.
Referring to the dragging Kashmir issue, Basit said
Pakistan has a stated position on the issue which cannot be
changed.
"We say the Kashmiris are struggling for their right
to self-determination and we will keep on providing moral and
diplomatic support to their struggle," he said.
Asked about evidence on India's alleged involvement in
fomenting unrest in Balochistan province, he said this would
be shared with New Delhi at an appropriate time as had been
stated by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Basit also said Pakistan had raised the 2007 bomb
attack on the Samjhauta Express train with the Indian side and
asked it to share the findings of the Indian investigation
into the incident.
Pakistan will brief US Secretary of State Hilary
Clinton about the recently concluded talks with India during
her stay in Islamabad for the next round of the Pakistan-US
strategic dialogue, Basit said. PTI RHL
MYR