NEW DELHI: Despite New Delhi having categorically stated that it is against resumption of dialogue with Islamabad till Pakistan takes “concrete measures” to prevent terrorism directed against India, there are strong chances that the two countries may hold talks soon, according to reliable sources.
The cricket teams of two countries faced each other last week in London for the first time since terror strikes in Mumbai, which has raised hopes of a positive turn at the diplomatic level too.
Efforts are under way to reach this stage before United States’ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit in the coming month, sources said. India is against the impression being created that it has resumed talks with Pakistan because of pressure from United States.
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns is visiting India this week, to set the agenda for Indo-US bilateral relations and also for Clinton’s visit. Not surprisingly, India is exploring prospects of holding talks with Pakistan perhaps in the coming week.
“We should not negotiate out of fear but we should not fear negotiations either. We need to talk about terrorism, whether we can zero in on the question of combating terror,” sources said.
If Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decides to visit Moscow later this month, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), he may use the opportunity to meet his Pakistani counterpart, sources said.
Even though Krishna yesterday categorically dismissed speculations of any attempts being to resume talks with Pakistan, several developments present a different picture. “We will not (hold talks) unless they (Pakistan) take concrete measures to prevent terrorist attacks emanating from the soil of Pakistan aimed against India,” Krishna said.
