The HBS Guy
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Pakistan Blames India for Peace Talk Breakdown
U.S. President Barrack Obama has so far on his trip to Mumbai and New Delhi managed to avoid putting his foot in it when it comes to Indias testy relations with Pakistan.
Mr. Obama has urged the countries to resolve their interests through dialogue and said a stable Pakistan is in Indias interests. The presidents attempt to walk the tightrope, offending neither country, comes as both sides have tried to push him off.
Indias media blamed him on Saturday for failing to mention in a speech on counter-terrorism the role of Pakistani gunmen in carrying out the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, which led to the deaths of more than 160 people.
Now, Pakistan is also trying to destabilize the visit. On Sunday, just as Mr. Obama was flying in to New Delhi from Mumbai, Pakistans President Asif Ali Zardari said in a speech that it was Indias fault that the latest attempts to push peace talks broke down this summer.
The democratic civil government went out of the way in our peace overtures towards India, Mr. Zardari said in a speech to a South Asian journalist association. It would have been most helpful if our initiatives had been welcomed and responded to in a positive manner.
Mr. Zardari admitted the attacks by Pakistani gunmen on Mumbai had hurt efforts to normalize relations.
The Mumbai attack has undermined efforts for peace. Pakistan is cooperating in unearthing and bringing to justice the perpetrators of militant acts, Mr. Zardari said.
India rejects this assertion and says it is near impossible for talks to move ahead while Pakistan continues to stall on trying the seven people it has arrested in connection with the Mumbai attacks.
On the eve of talks between the countries foreign ministers in Pakistan in July, which were meant to build confidence, Indias Foreign Secretary G.K. Pillai told an Indian newspaper that India believes Pakistans military spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, was involved in planning the Mumbai attacks.
Those comments angered Pakistan, which denies this assertion, and helped lead to the breakdown in talks, which have been suspended since then.
India says it got information on the ISIs involvement in the Mumbai attacks through its questioning of David Coleman Headley, who was arrested in the U.S. last year for his alleged involvement in the attacks. The U.S. allowed India access to Mr. Headley this summer. Pakistan has denied that India has given it any evidence from that questioning which links the ISI to Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has used the run-up to Mr. Obamas visit to call again for Washingtons mediation in Pakistans dispute with India over who should control the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir.
Mr. Obama has astutely avoided getting involved in that dispute on this trip. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir since 1947 and the issue remains a major roadblock to better ties.
Indian media on Monday repeated claims made often here that Pakistan is running training camps for militants that fight Indian security forces in its part of Kashmir. Pakistan says it has stopped doing this in recent years and has tried to embarrass India by s saying the protests this summer in Indian-held Kashmir were carried out by stone-wielding youths that want self-rule. More than 100 Kashmiris have died since mid-June in clashes with Indian security forces.
Pakistan Blames India for Peace Talk Breakdown - India Real Time - WSJ