Modi reaches out to Pakistan, calls for dialogue

in terror-free atmosphere
DINAKAR PERI
COMMENT (4) PRINT T

Tweet

The Hindu

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif during a meeting in New Delhi. Photo: R.V Moorthy

The Hindu

In this May 27, 2014 photo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in
New Delhi.
TOPICS
World
India
Pakistan

diplomacy
India-Pakistan

Writing to his Pakistani counterpart Mr Nawaz Sharif on the occasion of the neighbours National
Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for bilateral dialogue to resolve issues in a terror
free atmosphere. The PM has evidently chosen to overlook the controversy being generated in a
section of the media over the proposed participation of Kashmiri separatist leaders in a function
at the Pakistani high commission to celebrate the national day on Monday.
It is my firm conviction that all outstanding issues can be resolved through bilateral dialogue in
an atmosphere free from terror & violence, Mr. Modi tweeted.
In another tweet he said: I have written to Pakistan PM Mr. Nawaz Sharif, conveying my
greetings on the National Day of Pakistan.
Observers see Mr. Modis statement as a mellowing down of the tough stance on dialogue with
Pakistan. The government had in August last year cancelled Foreign Secretary-level talks after
Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit met Kashmiri separatist leaders ahead of the talks
despite calls by the India to not go ahead with it. After a lull, last month the government resumed

dialogue under the garb of the Foreign Secretarys SAARC Yatra. This letter is seen as a direct
outreach to Pakistan towards resumption of dialogue.

It is my firm conviction that all outstanding issues can be resolved

through bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror & violence
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 23, 2015
I have written to Pakistan PM Mr. Nawaz Sharif, conveying my greetings
on the National Day of Pakistan.
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 23, 2015
No role for Hurriyat: India
Contrary to the tough stand in the past, this time however the official response of the government
of India was limited to reiterating that Hurriyat had no role in the talks between India and
Pakistan.
In response to a question on the Pakistani High Commissioners statement that India has no
objection to Hurriyat leaders being invited on Pakistan National Day, External Affairs Ministry
spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin stated: "The Government of India prefers to speak for itself.
Having repeated it on so many occasions there should be no scope for misunderstanding or
misrepresenting India's position on the role of the so called Hurriyat, he added.
Mr. Akbaruddin reiterated there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in
resolution of India-Pakistan issues and added that the only way forward to proceed on all
outstanding issues is a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework of Simla Agreement and
Lahore Declaration.
Basit underlines Nawaz Sharifs vision
Speaking at the National Day celebrations at the High Commission in Delhi, Mr. Basit underlined
the importance of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs vision of Peace for development and
development for peace.
He claimed that Pakistan was keen to settle all the issues with India, including the Jammu and
Kashmir dispute, through dialogue and added that said that it was now high time to normalize
relations and address the challenges facing the region to exploit myriad of opportunities
unleashed by globalization.