New Delhi:
Defending India's decision to renew talks with Pakistan, the Foreign Affairs Minister has told NDTV that this round of talks is exploratory.
In an interview to NDTV's Barkha Dutt, S M Krishna said that these talks between Foreign Secretaries later this month do not suggest a return to the composite dialogue that India and Pakistan were engaged in before the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
Krishna says that despite Saturday's bomb blast in Pune, India will not restrict the agenda to terrorism. He added that Pakistan is free to bring up any issue.
Pakistan responded by saying that it will ask for a clarification on Krishna's remarks that a composite dialogue is not on the table.
In a statement, Pakistan said: "We have noted with concern remarks attributed by the media to India's External Affairs Minister on the forthcoming meeting of the Foreign Secretaries in New Delhi that these will be unifocal and that there would be no resumption of Composite Dialogue. This is contrary to our understanding. "
The statement continued: "Outcome of the meeting should not be prejudged nor its scope circumscribed. A clarification is being sought on this account."
(Read: Should drop wooden-headed approach: Qureshi)
There has been considerable debate within the Opposition, as also within the Prime Minister's Cabinet, about whether India should talk to Pakistan at a time when the country has been struck by its biggest terror attack since 26/11. Eleven people were killed and 59 injured when a bomb exploded at Pune's German Bakery on Saturday. (
Read: 11 dead, 59 injured in German bakery blast)
On Sunday, BJP leader Arun Jaitley had said, "These were Indian pre-conditions that as long as Pakistani soil is used for building infrastructure of terror against India, and till such time there is cooperation in the context of 26/11, we cannot talk to Pakistan. The composite dialogue cannot resume. But nothing seems to have changed and the government of India took a U-turn." (
Read: Indo-Pak talks on despite Pune blasts)
After the Pune attacks, a video surfaced in which Hafiz Abdur Rahman Makki, leader of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, warned of attacks in three Indian cities. Makki delivered his hate speech in Muzzafarabad in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir earlier this month, as part of a conference of anti-India jihadi groups who commemorated Kashmir Solidarity Day. (
Read: Pak group 'owns up' Pune blast)
Pakistan has repeatedly said that it wants to renew composite dialogue with India, and discuss Kashmir.
On Tuesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani offered to enhance cooperation with India in the field of intelligence to avert attacks like the Pune blast that could "further the agenda of terrorists" who were holding the bilateral ties 'hostage'. Gilani also stated that he "was determined not to allow use of its soil for any terrorist activity against any of its neighbours," Gilani said. (
Read: After Pune, Gilani offers help against terror attacks)
The Indian government has confirmed that the Pune blast is linked to David Coleman Headley - the US national who visited Pune and surveyed the city's Jewish community center, Chabad House, and the Osho Ashram, both of which are located right next to the German Bakery. Headley is being tried in America for helping the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) to plan and execute the 26/11 attacks. (
Read: Headley link to Pune blast: Home Secretary to NDTV)
Is US pushing India-Pakistan talks?
The United States is keenly watching the run up to the India-Pakistan talks. President Obama's top negotiators have been visiting New Delhi and Islamabad virtually every other day.
The Under-Secretary of Defence, Michele Flournoy said, "We will do everything in our power to support successful outcome of the talks, an outcome that everyone is looking for Senator John Kerry met the PM on Tuesday before going to Islamabad."
National Security Adviser James Jones was in Pakistan earlier this week, while Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke is reaching Islamabad on Thursday.