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Q.300 Indo-Pak secretary level talks
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.300
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.02.2011
SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Indian Foreign Secretary had a meeting with Pakistani counterpart at Thimphu on the sidelines of the SAARC Foreign Ministers meeting;
(b) if so, the details of the issues discussed therein and the decisions arrived at to settle the outstanding issues;
(c) whether Pakistan still insists that discussions with India should cover all issues including Kashmir; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)
(a) to (d) In pursuance of the mandate given by the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, following their meeting in Thimphu in April, 2010 and the meeting of the Minister of External Affairs of India and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan in Islamabad in July, 2010, the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met in Thimphu on February 6, 2011, to chart the way forward in India-Pakistan relations. The Foreign Secretaries agreed on the need for a constructive dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues. The two sides have agreed on the following:
(i) They have agreed to resume dialogue on all issues following the spirit of the Thimphu meeting between the two Prime Ministers.
(ii) The Foreign Minister of Pakistan will visit India by July 2011 to review progress in the dialogue process with his counterpart. This will be preceded by a meeting of the two Foreign Secretaries.
(iii) They have agreed that prior to the visit of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, meetings at the level of respective Secretaries will be convened on Counter-terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial); Humanitarian issues; Peace & Security, including CBMs; Jammu & Kashmir; promotion of friendly exchanges; Siachen; Economic issues; Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project; and Sir Creek (at the level of Additional Secretaries/Surveyors General).
(iv) Dates of the aforementioned meetings will be fixed through diplomatic channels.