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India ready to give Pakistan ‘benefit of the doubt’: Salman Khurshid
With Nawaz Sharif vowing to go ‘extra mile’ to make peace with India, Khurshid says Delhi would take him at his word
Sydney: India is prepared to give historic rival Pakistan “the benefit of the doubt” as the two countries strive for peace, foreign minister Salman Khurshid has said.
The nuclear-armed neighbours have since independence been at loggerheads over Kashmir, which is divided and administered separately by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.
India regularly accuses Pakistan’s army of providing covering fire for armed rebels who cross the border and then mount attacks and in an interview with The Australian newspaper published Monday, Khurshid admitted the relationship was fraught.
“We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth,” he said. “But the on-the-ground reality and the results of our meetings are very disappointing.”
However, with Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif last month vowing to go the “extra mile” to make peace with India, Khurshid said Delhi would take him at his word.
“Pakistan has a lot of very, very difficult issues to deal with at home,” he was quoted as saying.
“Our view is that we should give them time, not at our cost, of course, but that we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
“When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word.”
But with recent shootings at the border among the heaviest since a ceasefire agreement in 2003, Khurshid pointed out that Pakistan has not yet followed through on its promise of top-level military meetings to sort out better arrangements in Kashmir.
“If they can address the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism, that would be a good start,” he told the newspaper.
Khurshid was also optimistic about future relations with fellow Asian power China, with Delhi viewing Beijing as “rivals who are also partners”.
But Khurshid said a festering Himalayan border dispute between the two giant neighbours remained a key area of concern.
India and China, the world’s two most populous countries, have had a sometimes-fraught historical relationship given their contrasting political systems and specific geo-strategic interests, but Khurshid said he was confident of moving forward.
Asked if they were not destined to be rivals, he replied: “Yes, I think that’s to some extent inevitable, although it’s much more complex than that, of course.
“But we’d like to be rivals who are also partners, partners who are also rivals.”
“Our prime minister has said that the world is large enough to accommodate the aspirations of both China and India,” he added.
The border dispute flared again in April, with India accusing Chinese troops of intruding nearly 20km into Indian-held territory, sparking a three-week stand-off that was only resolved when troops from both sides pulled back.
China and India fought a brief war in 1962 and the border between the two nations has never been properly demarcated, although they have signed accords to maintain peace.
Asked why China made incursions into Indian territory, Khurshid said “there are a lot of theories”.
“To what extent is this autonomous People’s Liberation Army-instigated action? Or is it China’s own subtle way of sending out messages of dominance?
“I can say the bottom line is that when we meet them (China’s leaders) they are very friendly and reasonably responsive to our concerns.”
“I won’t say that we’ve had complete satisfaction, but there is steady movement forward,” said Khurshid.
While India remains concerned, the foreign minister said the incursions should be seen “in the context of a different perception of what the line of control is and where it should be”.
“The good news is that there hasn’t been a casualty on the Chinese front for several years,” he said. “There have been skirmishes and eyeball-to-eyeball confrontations, but no casualties.”
India ready to give Pakistan ‘benefit of the doubt’: Salman Khurshid - Livemint
There will also co operation in the field of strengthening democracy in pakistan, and frequent interactions between India and Pakistan political leaders on the cards.
I think this is a right move, considering the situation in Pakistan and Western designs. There is a very chance of war triggered by non state actors(it may be a nuclear one), since lot of countries are vying for their strategic interests here in South Asia.
This is a journey which requires patience and mutual trust, Politicians on each side require patience and have to think about advantageous of peace and good relations.
@WebMaster @INDIC @Spring Onion @levina @Flamingo @illusion8 @Aeronaut
With Nawaz Sharif vowing to go ‘extra mile’ to make peace with India, Khurshid says Delhi would take him at his word
Sydney: India is prepared to give historic rival Pakistan “the benefit of the doubt” as the two countries strive for peace, foreign minister Salman Khurshid has said.
The nuclear-armed neighbours have since independence been at loggerheads over Kashmir, which is divided and administered separately by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.
India regularly accuses Pakistan’s army of providing covering fire for armed rebels who cross the border and then mount attacks and in an interview with The Australian newspaper published Monday, Khurshid admitted the relationship was fraught.
“We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth,” he said. “But the on-the-ground reality and the results of our meetings are very disappointing.”
However, with Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif last month vowing to go the “extra mile” to make peace with India, Khurshid said Delhi would take him at his word.
“Pakistan has a lot of very, very difficult issues to deal with at home,” he was quoted as saying.
“Our view is that we should give them time, not at our cost, of course, but that we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
“When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word.”
But with recent shootings at the border among the heaviest since a ceasefire agreement in 2003, Khurshid pointed out that Pakistan has not yet followed through on its promise of top-level military meetings to sort out better arrangements in Kashmir.
“If they can address the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism, that would be a good start,” he told the newspaper.
Khurshid was also optimistic about future relations with fellow Asian power China, with Delhi viewing Beijing as “rivals who are also partners”.
But Khurshid said a festering Himalayan border dispute between the two giant neighbours remained a key area of concern.
India and China, the world’s two most populous countries, have had a sometimes-fraught historical relationship given their contrasting political systems and specific geo-strategic interests, but Khurshid said he was confident of moving forward.
Asked if they were not destined to be rivals, he replied: “Yes, I think that’s to some extent inevitable, although it’s much more complex than that, of course.
“But we’d like to be rivals who are also partners, partners who are also rivals.”
“Our prime minister has said that the world is large enough to accommodate the aspirations of both China and India,” he added.
The border dispute flared again in April, with India accusing Chinese troops of intruding nearly 20km into Indian-held territory, sparking a three-week stand-off that was only resolved when troops from both sides pulled back.
China and India fought a brief war in 1962 and the border between the two nations has never been properly demarcated, although they have signed accords to maintain peace.
Asked why China made incursions into Indian territory, Khurshid said “there are a lot of theories”.
“To what extent is this autonomous People’s Liberation Army-instigated action? Or is it China’s own subtle way of sending out messages of dominance?
“I can say the bottom line is that when we meet them (China’s leaders) they are very friendly and reasonably responsive to our concerns.”
“I won’t say that we’ve had complete satisfaction, but there is steady movement forward,” said Khurshid.
While India remains concerned, the foreign minister said the incursions should be seen “in the context of a different perception of what the line of control is and where it should be”.
“The good news is that there hasn’t been a casualty on the Chinese front for several years,” he said. “There have been skirmishes and eyeball-to-eyeball confrontations, but no casualties.”
India ready to give Pakistan ‘benefit of the doubt’: Salman Khurshid - Livemint
There will also co operation in the field of strengthening democracy in pakistan, and frequent interactions between India and Pakistan political leaders on the cards.
I think this is a right move, considering the situation in Pakistan and Western designs. There is a very chance of war triggered by non state actors(it may be a nuclear one), since lot of countries are vying for their strategic interests here in South Asia.
This is a journey which requires patience and mutual trust, Politicians on each side require patience and have to think about advantageous of peace and good relations.
@WebMaster @INDIC @Spring Onion @levina @Flamingo @illusion8 @Aeronaut
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