Pakistan withdraws opposition to India’s presence in Ankara talks

[Paan Singh]

In an apparent softening of its attitude against India, Pakistan has withdrawn its opposition to New Delhi’s participation in a preparatory conclave on the security and reconstruction of Afghanistan to be held in Ankara next month, a media report today said.

“Senior officials within the administration have advised the foreign ministry not to oppose India’s participation in the conference,” an official source was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune newspaper.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry had earlier told Turkey that Islamabad would not attend the conference if India was invited.

“Our civilian establishment is gradually digesting the idea of consulting India on regional issues,” a high—ranking source told the daily.

The Ankara conclave will chalk out a plan for the International Conference of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan scheduled to be held in Bonn in December.

More than 1,000 delegates from 90 countries, including Pakistan and India, have been invited to the conference.

Among those who will attend are Afghan President Hamid Karzai, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the UN Secretary General.

Foreign policy experts confirmed this change in the government’s policy towards India.

“There is a visible change in Pakistan’s attitude towards India on regional issues,” said Simbal Khan, director for Afghanistan and Central Asia at the Institute of Strategic Studies.

“Our attitude is softening. If we can talk to India on other issues with a regional approach, there should be no harm in talking to it on the Afghan issue.

“We should keep in mind that India is the fifth largest donor to Afghanistan,” she said.

The conference will focus on three key areas: transfer of security responsibility to the Afghan government by 2014, further international commitment to Afghanistan after the handover to Afghans, and the political process, including national reconciliation and integration of the Taliban.

Pakistan has often accused India of using Afghanistan as a base for “destabilising” its border regions, especially Balochistan province and the tribal belt.

However, Khan said: “Karzai had addressed Pakistan’s concerns over India’s role in Afghanistan. He removed top officials of the Afghan spy agency who were considered to be close to India.”

The Hindu : News : Pakistan withdraws opposition to India’s presence in Ankara talks

 

[MUHARIB]

OKAY!! Now why did they do that?? anyways this a good news indeed!!

 

[Paan Singh]

mohali diplomacy at work

 

[MUHARIB]

Maybe!!..wait let me think like zaid hamid...and i am thinking RAW has infiltrated into the upper echelons of GOP!!

 

[blackops]

so after all cricket did work lol good now do as many cricket matches as possible

 

[Leader]

that is probably to learn the india intentions... and work accordingly...

 

[Prometheus]

I knew it...........thats why MMS called gilani

 

[SpArK]

Pakistan withdraws opposition to India’s presence in Ankara talks​

ISLAMABAD, April 5, 2011

In an apparent softening of its attitude against India, Pakistan has withdrawn its opposition to New Delhi’s participation in a preparatory conclave on the security and reconstruction of Afghanistan to be held in Ankara next month, a media report today said.

“Senior officials within the administration have advised the foreign ministry not to oppose India’s participation in the conference,” an official source was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune newspaper.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry had earlier told Turkey that Islamabad would not attend the conference if India was invited.

“Our civilian establishment is gradually digesting the idea of consulting India on regional issues,” a high—ranking source told the daily.

The Ankara conclave will chalk out a plan for the International Conference of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan scheduled to be held in Bonn in December.

More than 1,000 delegates from 90 countries, including Pakistan and India, have been invited to the conference.

Among those who will attend are Afghan President Hamid Karzai, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the UN Secretary General.

Foreign policy experts confirmed this change in the government’s policy towards India.

“There is a visible change in Pakistan’s attitude towards India on regional issues,” said Simbal Khan, director for Afghanistan and Central Asia at the Institute of Strategic Studies.

“Our attitude is softening. If we can talk to India on other issues with a regional approach, there should be no harm in talking to it on the Afghan issue.

“We should keep in mind that India is the fifth largest donor to Afghanistan,” she said.

The conference will focus on three key areas: transfer of security responsibility to the Afghan government by 2014, further international commitment to Afghanistan after the handover to Afghans, and the political process, including national reconciliation and integration of the Taliban.

Pakistan has often accused India of using Afghanistan as a base for “destabilising” its border regions, especially Balochistan province and the tribal belt.

However, Khan said: “Karzai had addressed Pakistan’s concerns over India’s role in Afghanistan. He removed top officials of the Afghan spy agency who were considered to be close to India.”


The Hindu : News : Pakistan withdraws opposition to India’s presence in Ankara talks





LOL

Let the flames begin...

 

[StingRoy]

Looks like a positive gesture... Cricket diplomacy finally working?

 

[Whiplash]

Looks like a positive gesture... Cricket diplomacy finally working?

Maybe they realised that we come in peace and are there with the sole motive of rebuilding afghanistan

 

[Dalai Lama]

Methinks Pakistan was trying to test Turkey's "loyalty" by forcing them to pick one over the other.

 

[BATMAN]

^^ Seems like Gilani and co. were flattered by Indians!!!
What did you feed them? They are on seventh heaven ever since!!!
Followed by Cameron!!!
Some thing is being cooked by international coalition.

 

[StingRoy]

Maybe they realised that we come in peace and are there with the sole motive of rebuilding afghanistan

They are not that naive... But I guess it is more of an acceptance that India will stay in Afghanistan no matter what because of its strategic importance and the fact that they have local support from the Afghan govt. The best they are doing by softening the stance against India is trying to reach out to the Afghans. It is a good move seeing the increasing suspicions from the Afghan side of the border.

 

[Whiplash]

They are not that naive... But I guess it is more of an acceptance that India will stay in Afghanistan no matter what because of its strategic importance and the fact that they have local support from the Afghan govt. The best they are doing by softening the stance against India is trying to reach out to the Afghans. It is a good move seeing the increasing suspicions from the Afghan side of the border.

If we were, and it's a big if, using afghanistan for her strategic importance ,then withdrawing opposition, with whatever motive, is a stupid move. Once we have a firm place in the country They'd never be able to take us out.

 

[StingRoy]

If we were, and it's a big if, using afghanistan for her strategic importance ,then withdrawing opposition, with whatever motive, is a stupid move. Once we have a firm place in the country They'd never be able to take us out.

I also don't want to speculate on the extent of strategic involvement of India in Afghanistan, but would rather comment on the importance of strategic presence. At the moment we are contributing a lot towards rebuilding the infrastructure inside Afghanistan, schools, hospitals, residential complexes, roads, power generation/distribution etc and at the end of the day, this is going to help the people gain trust with us.

As for Pakistan, it can only gain with friendly relationships with Afghanistan and a less moderate stance against India. Strategically thinking it is better for Pakistan not to have two enemies on both sides of its border. This is the reason I say it is a wise move from Gilani and co.