Washington, Islamabad:
The Obama Administration has welcomed India's proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan. (Read: India proposes Foreign Secretary level talks with Pakistan)
"We certainly have been encouraging steps that both Pakistan and India could take to address mutual concerns and to take appropriate steps so that tensions can be reduced," said Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, P J Crowley.
Even Pakistan has welcomed India's offer to resume bilateral talks.
Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters in Islamabad that Pakistan believed it could resolve bilateral disputes with India "through genuine and meaningful talks."
"Pakistan has always believed that it is only through genuine and meaningful talks that Pakistan and India can resolve their bilateral disputes, including the long-simmering Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the water issues. From our perspective, talks should be all-encompassing and result-oriented. We will, therefore, welcome resumption of the Composite Dialogue," Basit said.
On Thursday, NDTV learnt that India has formally proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks to Pakistan.
Ironically, this development came on a day when the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, widely acknowledged as a front for terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) held an anti-India "Kashmir Solidarity" conference in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan met last in September in New York.
Sources in the government say no dates have been fixed yet for the new round of talks, and the agenda has not been decided. Terrorism will remain the key focus, but all other issues that "create an atmosphere of peace and stability" between the two countries will be on the table. This includes humanitarian issues. Sources point out this is not to be mixed up with the structured composite dialogue that existed earlier between India and Pakistan.
Sources say India is "going in with an open mind and won't pre-judge the outcome."
Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesman, Abdul Basit, was earlier quoted as telling Pakistani newspaper The DAWN that nothing short of the Composite Dialogue will be acceptable.
India is reportedly concerned about the Jamaat conference. The JuD is headed by Hafiz Saeed, who India believes is the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Pakistan has repeatedly said that India has been able to back its claim with evidence against Saeed. India says this is incorrect.
Indian government sources say "it's better to talk to them about our concerns...Hafiz Saeed is not being treated as a test case."
"We certainly have been encouraging steps that both Pakistan and India could take to address mutual concerns and to take appropriate steps so that tensions can be reduced," said Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, P J Crowley.
Even Pakistan has welcomed India's offer to resume bilateral talks.
Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters in Islamabad that Pakistan believed it could resolve bilateral disputes with India "through genuine and meaningful talks."
"Pakistan has always believed that it is only through genuine and meaningful talks that Pakistan and India can resolve their bilateral disputes, including the long-simmering Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the water issues. From our perspective, talks should be all-encompassing and result-oriented. We will, therefore, welcome resumption of the Composite Dialogue," Basit said.
On Thursday, NDTV learnt that India has formally proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks to Pakistan.
Ironically, this development came on a day when the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, widely acknowledged as a front for terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) held an anti-India "Kashmir Solidarity" conference in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan met last in September in New York.
Sources in the government say no dates have been fixed yet for the new round of talks, and the agenda has not been decided. Terrorism will remain the key focus, but all other issues that "create an atmosphere of peace and stability" between the two countries will be on the table. This includes humanitarian issues. Sources point out this is not to be mixed up with the structured composite dialogue that existed earlier between India and Pakistan.
Sources say India is "going in with an open mind and won't pre-judge the outcome."
Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesman, Abdul Basit, was earlier quoted as telling Pakistani newspaper The DAWN that nothing short of the Composite Dialogue will be acceptable.
India is reportedly concerned about the Jamaat conference. The JuD is headed by Hafiz Saeed, who India believes is the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Pakistan has repeatedly said that India has been able to back its claim with evidence against Saeed. India says this is incorrect.
Indian government sources say "it's better to talk to them about our concerns...Hafiz Saeed is not being treated as a test case."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
