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India and Pakistan in ‘Common Agenda’ | India and Pakistan in ‘Common Agenda’ |
(4 months later) | |
NEW DELHI — Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, said on Tuesday that the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India would meet in the near future, indicating that he sees momentum toward reviving stalled peace talks between the two nations. | |
Mr. Sharif’s statement came after a 50-minute meeting in New Delhi with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, who had hastily organized a gathering of South Asian regional leaders for his swearing-in on Monday. | Mr. Sharif’s statement came after a 50-minute meeting in New Delhi with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, who had hastily organized a gathering of South Asian regional leaders for his swearing-in on Monday. |
“I explained to the prime minister that we have a common agenda of development, which is not possible to achieve without peace and stability,” Mr. Sharif told reporters, stressing that it was a time for conciliation, not for “accusations and counteraccusations.” | “I explained to the prime minister that we have a common agenda of development, which is not possible to achieve without peace and stability,” Mr. Sharif told reporters, stressing that it was a time for conciliation, not for “accusations and counteraccusations.” |
A senior Pakistani official in Mr. Sharif’s entourage, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that Mr. Modi and Mr. Sharif had agreed that their foreign secretaries would address “all issues, without exception,” and that the two leaders had discussed the thorny matter of Kashmir at length on Tuesday. | A senior Pakistani official in Mr. Sharif’s entourage, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that Mr. Modi and Mr. Sharif had agreed that their foreign secretaries would address “all issues, without exception,” and that the two leaders had discussed the thorny matter of Kashmir at length on Tuesday. |
The Indian account of the meeting was less upbeat. Mr. Modi emphasized security issues, calling on Pakistan to expedite the trials of suspects in the 2008 Mumbai bombings and to ensure that the guilty are punished, the Indian foreign secretary, Sujatha Singh, said at a news conference. | The Indian account of the meeting was less upbeat. Mr. Modi emphasized security issues, calling on Pakistan to expedite the trials of suspects in the 2008 Mumbai bombings and to ensure that the guilty are punished, the Indian foreign secretary, Sujatha Singh, said at a news conference. |
“It was conveyed that Pakistan must abide by its commitment to prevent its territory and territory under its control from being used for terrorism against India,” Ms. Singh said. She was more vague about her own meeting with her Pakistani counterpart, saying they would “remain in touch and explore how to move forward.” | “It was conveyed that Pakistan must abide by its commitment to prevent its territory and territory under its control from being used for terrorism against India,” Ms. Singh said. She was more vague about her own meeting with her Pakistani counterpart, saying they would “remain in touch and explore how to move forward.” |
Ms. Singh said the countries “could move immediately toward full trade normalization.” India extended most-favored-nation trade status to Pakistan many years ago and has been waiting for Pakistan to reciprocate. | Ms. Singh said the countries “could move immediately toward full trade normalization.” India extended most-favored-nation trade status to Pakistan many years ago and has been waiting for Pakistan to reciprocate. |
Mr. Modi, who spoke about Pakistan in hard-line terms during his election campaign, caught many by surprise by extending invitations to Mr. Sharif and six other leaders of South Asian countries. Each of the leaders met with Mr. Modi for a bilateral discussion before flying home on Tuesday. | Mr. Modi, who spoke about Pakistan in hard-line terms during his election campaign, caught many by surprise by extending invitations to Mr. Sharif and six other leaders of South Asian countries. Each of the leaders met with Mr. Modi for a bilateral discussion before flying home on Tuesday. |
Such a swift diplomatic move would normally prompt waves of controversy and dispute in India, including among Mr. Modi’s right-wing supporters. But his overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections afforded him an unusual degree of freedom. | Such a swift diplomatic move would normally prompt waves of controversy and dispute in India, including among Mr. Modi’s right-wing supporters. But his overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections afforded him an unusual degree of freedom. |
Mr. Sharif’s visit to New Delhi was the first by a Pakistani leader since the Mumbai terror attacks, which dealt a serious setback to the relationship between the two countries. The meeting was scheduled to last 35 minutes, but it ran over. | Mr. Sharif’s visit to New Delhi was the first by a Pakistani leader since the Mumbai terror attacks, which dealt a serious setback to the relationship between the two countries. The meeting was scheduled to last 35 minutes, but it ran over. |
Many Pakistani commentators turned critical on Tuesday after watching the Indian news conference, with its focus on terrorism. Some said Mr. Sharif had made a mistake by accepting the Indian invitation, and others said they wished he had responded by airing Pakistan’s grievances, particularly those concerning Kashmir. | Many Pakistani commentators turned critical on Tuesday after watching the Indian news conference, with its focus on terrorism. Some said Mr. Sharif had made a mistake by accepting the Indian invitation, and others said they wished he had responded by airing Pakistan’s grievances, particularly those concerning Kashmir. |
Political analysts in India, on the other hand, were cautiously optimistic on Tuesday evening as details from the meeting filtered out. Siddharth Varadarajan, a journalist, said India might be drawn to the prospect of replacing the “composite dialogue,” a structure that was in use from the late 1990s until 2008, when the Mumbai attacks derailed the peace process. Under that structure, the two sides had simultaneously discussed a slew of issues, including Kashmir. | Political analysts in India, on the other hand, were cautiously optimistic on Tuesday evening as details from the meeting filtered out. Siddharth Varadarajan, a journalist, said India might be drawn to the prospect of replacing the “composite dialogue,” a structure that was in use from the late 1990s until 2008, when the Mumbai attacks derailed the peace process. Under that structure, the two sides had simultaneously discussed a slew of issues, including Kashmir. |
“I think for both Modi and Nawaz Sharif, this is a big leap they’ve made,” said Mr. Varadarajan, of Shiv Nadar University’s Center for Public Affairs. “Maybe for India and Pakistan, the steps are quite incremental, but for Modi and Nawaz personally, it’s a huge leap. They are dealing with their own domestic baggage and their own domestic demons.” | “I think for both Modi and Nawaz Sharif, this is a big leap they’ve made,” said Mr. Varadarajan, of Shiv Nadar University’s Center for Public Affairs. “Maybe for India and Pakistan, the steps are quite incremental, but for Modi and Nawaz personally, it’s a huge leap. They are dealing with their own domestic baggage and their own domestic demons.” |
He said that he was surprised by Mr. Modi’s initiative in inviting the foreign leaders to his swearing-in, but that it was logical to calm the waters after a campaign in which Mr. Modi spoke harshly of both Bangladesh and Pakistan. | He said that he was surprised by Mr. Modi’s initiative in inviting the foreign leaders to his swearing-in, but that it was logical to calm the waters after a campaign in which Mr. Modi spoke harshly of both Bangladesh and Pakistan. |
Raza Rumi, a policy analyst at the Jinnah Institute in Islamabad, Pakistan, said Pakistanis viewed the visit as an icebreaker between the two leaders and were not expecting much concrete progress. | Raza Rumi, a policy analyst at the Jinnah Institute in Islamabad, Pakistan, said Pakistanis viewed the visit as an icebreaker between the two leaders and were not expecting much concrete progress. |
Mr. Sharif “is very serious about India policy, about mending relations,” Mr. Rumi said, and senses “a major opening in terms of faith and an economic agenda now.” But, he added, Mr. Sharif sees Mr. Modi’s hawkish election oratory as an obstacle that would make it difficult to persuade the military to pursue peace. | Mr. Sharif “is very serious about India policy, about mending relations,” Mr. Rumi said, and senses “a major opening in terms of faith and an economic agenda now.” But, he added, Mr. Sharif sees Mr. Modi’s hawkish election oratory as an obstacle that would make it difficult to persuade the military to pursue peace. |
The images of the last two days — a smiling handshake; warm commentary on social media from both camps; the two men “talking about their mothers, like typical South Asian sons” — may neutralize much of the ill feeling over the campaign rhetoric, Mr. Rumi said. | The images of the last two days — a smiling handshake; warm commentary on social media from both camps; the two men “talking about their mothers, like typical South Asian sons” — may neutralize much of the ill feeling over the campaign rhetoric, Mr. Rumi said. |
As Mr. Sharif flew out of New Delhi, his daughter, Maryam Sharif, wrote on Twitter, “Indian Prime Minister Modi refers to Prime Minister Sharif as a ‘man of peace.’ Hope negativity fails and peace wins.” | As Mr. Sharif flew out of New Delhi, his daughter, Maryam Sharif, wrote on Twitter, “Indian Prime Minister Modi refers to Prime Minister Sharif as a ‘man of peace.’ Hope negativity fails and peace wins.” |
The two countries have tried in recent years to build diplomatic and economic ties, only to have their talks derail repeatedly over security issues and then stop completely after cross-border skirmishes in Kashmir early last year, when an Indian soldier was reportedly beheaded. | The two countries have tried in recent years to build diplomatic and economic ties, only to have their talks derail repeatedly over security issues and then stop completely after cross-border skirmishes in Kashmir early last year, when an Indian soldier was reportedly beheaded. |
India is deeply frustrated by delays in the trials of seven men accused in the Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 160 people. One of the men is Zaki ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the operational commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group that has received support from former Pakistani military and intelligence officials. | India is deeply frustrated by delays in the trials of seven men accused in the Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 160 people. One of the men is Zaki ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the operational commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group that has received support from former Pakistani military and intelligence officials. |
An open trial in the case, “assuming he has a decent lawyer,” would reveal the structure of that support, said Ashley J. Tellis, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. | An open trial in the case, “assuming he has a decent lawyer,” would reveal the structure of that support, said Ashley J. Tellis, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. |
Pakistan, for its part, seeks a “full-fledged resumption of the composite dialogue,” including issues like Kashmir, Mr. Tellis said. | Pakistan, for its part, seeks a “full-fledged resumption of the composite dialogue,” including issues like Kashmir, Mr. Tellis said. |