Indian PM opened 'secret talks' with Kayani: Report

[Mirza Jatt]

Indian PM opened 'secret talks' with Kayani: Report

India's [ Images ] Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [ Images ] opened secret talks with Pakistan Army [ Images ] chief 10 months ago to build on the cricket-inspired diplomatic thaw between the two countries, a media report said on Saturday.

Singh "appointed an unofficial envoy to make contact with General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani [ Images ], Pakistan's chief of the Army staff who exercises de facto control over foreign policy," The Times reported.

The talks, through a back channel, have encouraged the United Kingdom and the United States believe that the countries competition for influence in Afghanistan could be better managed during efforts to start a peace process, it said.

The visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani [ Images ] to watch the semi-final match between India and Pakistan in the cricket World Cup last month has sparked hope of a diplomatic thaw between the two neighbouring countries.

Kayani visited Kabul this week to meet members of the High Peace Council, a body set up by Afghan President Hamid Karzai [ Images ], to build contacts with Taliban [ Images ] groups.

The army chief was accompanied by General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, head of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

'Indian PM opened 'secret talks' with Kayani' - Rediff.com India News

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

It makes Good sense. Till date all talks held by Indian leaders with the Pakistani civilian leadership has failed ....so rather than engaging in futile photo shoots with the likes of the Nawaz Sharifs and Zardaris , we should begin talking to the "real " players of Pakistani politics - The Army and the ISI.Negotiate with them and we get greater results. Even the Americans understood that in Pakistan the only establishment with any permanence is the military, wonder why it took us 60 years worth of hostilities to figure this out. Hopefully this same policy of engagement will be followed by our subsequent Govts no matter who is at the centre.

 

[Veeru]

I am not amazed by this act of traitor manmohan singh in a democratic govt. and setup like India prime minister can't take a single step without keeping Union Cabinet and Parliament into confidence.

Its against Indian constitution no one can do it.

But manmohan singh is american puppet and pro pakistani. As all of his ambition have fulfilled, he have became PM of his country twice, now His last ambition is Nobel peace prize and he is ready to sell his country for it.

 

[SpArK]

Manmohan Singh’s secret talks with Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ‘just not cricket’

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opened secret talks with the Pakistan Army chief to build on the cricket diplomacy that opened up between the two countries during the recently concluded World Cup, a media report said Saturday.

Singh “appointed an unofficial envoy to make contact with General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan’s chief of the army staff who exercises de facto control over foreign policy,” British daily The Times reported.


The report said that the talks are believed to have been motivated partly by India’s desire for greater influence, along with the US and UK, in Afghanistan. Incidentally, Kayani himself visited Kabul this week to meet members of the high peace council, a body set up by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, to build contacts with Taliban groups.

The visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the semi-final match between India and Pakistan in the cricket World Cup last month had sparked hope of a diplomatic thaw between the two countries.

Army and foreign policy experts, however, are not enthused by the idea of India talking directly to the Pakistani army. Former Indian army chief Gen. VP Malik told DNA that it is not possible to deal directly with Pakistan army leaders.

While it is true that the army calls the shots with regard to Indo-Pak relations, it does not make sense to talk to the army on the other side because of differences in perspective. “The Pakistan army believes that India has strategic depth and that is why it wants Afghanistan to remain in its sphere of influence. The two sides are on different trajectories and there is no meeting point,” he said.

Gen Malik, however, did not rule out the possibility of involving the Pakistan army in the bilateral peace process through the mediation of a third country like the United States.

Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal said that it is immature on the part of India to try to bypass the civilian establishment and the democratically elected government. “There is an internal squabble between the civilian government and the army there. It is, therefore, not right for India, with all its rhetoric about democracy, to be engaging with the generals in Islamabad.”

Responding to the Indian attempt to schedule a Kabul visit for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in response to Gen.Kayani’s visit to Afghanistan, Gen Malik said that India never had a say in the important decisions in Afghanistan.“The US kept India out while it talked to Pakistan and other countries, despite the fact that India has spent money and done a lot of developmental work in Afghanistan,” he observed.

Sibal was of the view that India’s presence in Afghanistan is legitimate for strategic reasons and Pakistan should not be allowed to claim any exclusivity with regard to Kabul. Giving an example, he said, “India cannot object to China’s growing presence in Pakistan. It is the same in the case of India in Afghanistan.”

Manmohan Singh’s secret talks with Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ‘just not cricket’ - India - DNA

 

[rajusri]

Good. India need to directly talk with Pakistan Army. But why secret?

 

[P.kid]

I am not amazed by this act of traitor manmohan singh in a democratic govt. and setup like India prime minister can't take a single step without keeping Union Cabinet and Parliament into confidence.

Its against Indian constitution no one can do it.

But manmohan singh is american puppet and pro pakistani. As all of his ambition have fulfilled, he have became PM of his country twice, now His last ambition is Nobel peace prize and he is ready to sell his country for it.

Whats wrong in being pro-Pakistani? If Manmohan Singh seeks peace with his neighbouring country for the better of his countries future and Pakistan's than whats wrong? Is the existence of Pakistan troubling you...

I respect him for trying to create peace even if he is doing for noble peace prize.

 

[hembo]

I am not amazed by this act of traitor manmohan singh in a democratic govt. and setup like India prime minister can't take a single step without keeping Union Cabinet and Parliament into confidence.

Its against Indian constitution no one can do it.

But manmohan singh is american puppet and pro pakistani. As all of his ambition have fulfilled, he have became PM of his country twice, now His last ambition is Nobel peace prize and he is ready to sell his country for it.

And why is aspiring for peace is an act of treason?

In your books, only a PM who is always roaring for war and conflict with Pakistan is a patriotic PM or what? The new found arrogance of the young and restless Indian youths is a direct result of the economic and military growth post 1990, which, ironically, is the result of MMS's great work in the last two decades (credit to be given to NS Rao too of cource). But look at the irony now. The same youth, who had not seen the apathy of the pre-1990 GOI, is now after the blood of MMS at the drop of a hat. So much so that even peace is a bitter pill.

 

[EjazR]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, the Times report doesn't seem to be accurate. There has always be backchannel contacts between the GoI and PA. So to say some new "secret" talks have started is just sensationalism of the issue.

I am not amazed by this act of traitor manmohan singh in a democratic govt. and setup like India prime minister can't take a single step without keeping Union Cabinet and Parliament into confidence.

The PM can use any instrument to further his vision including talks by taking in confidence his cabinet without mentioning to the parliament. There is nothing unconstitutional in that. When it comes to ratifying a treaty which would be needed for any deal say on Kashmir, Siachen or Sir Creek, that will have to be done through the parliament and obviously that is what will happen.

And its getting really old to play the lack of patriotism card every now and then. Like they say, patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

 

[fatman17]

mods there is a thread on back channels talk in the land forces section
pls merge

 

[Malik Usman]

Good. India need to directly talk with Pakistan Army. But why secret?

Secret because if he will do open then the Hindu extermist parties....like shusina and others will standup and create problems for him.

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

I just want to see someone else at the helm dealing with Pakistan , MMS unfortunately doesn't have a good track record - Sharm el sheikh ,anyone ...

 

[Ajaxpaul]

PMO denies media report that PM contacted Kayani


NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Office on Sunday termed as 'false' a media report that Manmohan Singh had contacted Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani before the Mohali meeting between Prime Ministers of the two countries.

"We have seen media reports quoting a British newspaper saying that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh contacted Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani before the Mohali meeting between the two Prime Ministers. The report is false," PM's media adviser Harish Khare said in a statement.

London-based 'The Times' had on Saturday reported that Singh had appointed an "unofficial envoy" to make contact with Kayani, who exercises de facto control over Pakistan's foreign policy.

The talks, through a back channel, have encouraged the UK and US believe that the countries' competition for influence in Afghanistan could be better managed during efforts to start a peace process, the media report had said.

The visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the semi-final match between India and Pakistan in the cricket World Cup last month has sparked hopes of a diplomatic thaw between the two neighbouring countries.

PMO denies media report that PM contacted Kayani - The Times of India

I do hope India and Pakistan do conduct talks and improve our bilateral relationship.

 

[JayAtl]

I don't know man- you guys invited that leech Musharaff and still allow him in India when he was responsible for terror attacks on India and Kargil. Indians either have no backbone or are simply pacifists like never seen before.

You won't see Osama bin Laden being invited to sit with the US president . You attack the US - only way you will be invited is to a surrender table first- if we have not killed you already.

 

[deckingraj]

I don't know man- you guys invited that leech Musharaff and still allow him in India when he was responsible for terror attacks on India and Kargil. Indians either have no backbone or are simply pacifists like never seen before.

You won't see Osama bin Laden being invited to sit with the US president . You attack the US - only way you will be invited is to a surrender table first- if we have not killed you already.

Neither we are US nor Pak military might can be compared with OBL....so the comparison is faulty.....If you think rationally there is no other way then to have peace....b/w India should be more than enthusiastic to click a peace deal with Pakistan.....We are in a better position in Kashmir and are economically doing great...Any conflict in the region can push us way back....so if you see stakes are pretty high for a peace deal and especially for India....Status quo will also work fine but then it has a danger of sparking a conflict....now question is do you want to loose all the hard work of past 2 decades because of flase ego?????

 

[below_freezing]

Neither we are US nor Pak military might can be compared with OBL....so the comparison is faulty.....If you think rationally there is no other way then to have peace....b/w India should be more than enthusiastic to click a peace deal with Pakistan.....We are in a better position in Kashmir and are economically doing great...Any conflict in the region can push us way back....so if you see stakes are pretty high for a peace deal and especially for India....Status quo will also work fine but then it has a danger of sparking a conflict....now question is do you want to loose all the hard work of past 2 decades because of flase ego?????

YES! Because JayATL is not an Indian. He is an American. Americans directly benefit from selling weapons to both India and Pakistan. It would greatly increase his personal salary if India and Pakistan went to war. The US's greatest hope is for India and Pakistan to cripple each other.

Brain drain from both countries. Weapons sales to both countries. Gets rid of potential competitors. What a deal!