ISLAMABAD: ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India have agreed to reinitiate the comprehensive dialogue process, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in a joint press conference on Wednesday along with the prime ministers adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz.
Instead of composite dialogues, now comprehensive dialogues will be held in which all outstanding issues will be discussed, Sushma Swaraj said.
Both Swaraj and Aziz condemned terrorism and resolved to cooperate in order to eliminate the menace.
They noted the successful talks on terrorism and security related issues in Bangkok by the two National Security Advisers and decided that the security advisers will continue to address all issues connected to terrorism.
Pakistan assured the Indian side that the government is taking steps being to expedite the early conclusion of the Mumbai trials.
The dialogue process, which will start as soon as foreign secretaries agree on a schedule, will include matters related to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues, people to people exchanges and religious tourism.
Earlier on Wednesday, Swaraj met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia conference to discuss bilateral issues.
The meeting is considered crucial as many long standing issues were discussed.
The prime minister’s adviser Sartaj Aziz and premier’s special assistant Tariq Fatemi were also in attendance.
Her meeting with Aziz followed talks earlier in the day with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Swaraj arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday to attend the Heart of Asia conference on security and stability in Afghanistan.
Her visit to Islamabad was confirmed after a brief meeting between Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the margins of the climate change conference in Paris and a meeting between the national security advisers of the two sides in Bangkok on Sunday.
Talks between India and Pakistan were snapped after the 2008 Mumbai attacks that were carried out by the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. Attempts to revive parleys did not take off because of differences on key issues such as terrorism and Indias insistence on linking talks to the prosecution of those involved in the Mumbai attacks.
Sharif attended Modis swearing-in last year, raising hopes for better ties but relations ran into rough weather again after New Delhi objected to visiting Pakistani leaders meeting with Kashmiri separatists.
Full text of the joint statement:
1. The External Affairs Minister of India, Smt. Sushma Swaraj led the Indian delegation to the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Islamabad on December 8-9, 2015. She called on the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and held discussions with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sartaj Aziz.
2. The EAM and the Adviser condemned terrorism and resolved to cooperate to eliminate it. They noted the successful talks on terrorism and security related issues in Bangkok by the two NSAs and decided that the NSAs will continue to address all issues connected to terrorism. The Indian side was assured of the steps being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the Mumbai trial.
3. Both sides, accordingly, agreed to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue and directed the Foreign Secretaries to work out the modalities and schedule of the meetings under the Dialogue including Peace and Security, CBMs, Jammu & Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, Economic and Commercial Cooperation, Counter-Terrorism, Narcotics Control, Humanitarian Issues, People to People exchanges and religious tourism.
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