Sushma Swaraj To Visit Pakistan After Modi-Sharif Handshake: Sources

[Bang Galore]

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to visit Pakistan next week, top government sources told NDTV. She is likely to attend a 27-nation meeting on Afghanistan, which will be held in Islamabad, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif shook hands in Paris.

India had been invited for the conference, which will be held on December 7 and 8. But it had not been decided who would represent the nation, sources said.

The plans to send Ms Swaraj came days after the meeting between PM Modi and Mr Sharif in Paris, where they had gone to attend the global climate change summit.

The two leaders had shaken hands and shared a sofa for a few minutes' tete-a-tete on November 30. Mr Sharif was seen listening attentively as PM Modi spoke to him.

It is understood that the interaction was more than a "courtesy meeting," which was how government officials had described it. Later, Mr Sharif had said, "Talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi were good. Doors of dialogue should open."

The last initiative for India Pakistan talks came in July, when PM Modi and Mr Sharif held a bilateral meeting in Russia's Ufa on the sidelines of a conference. Soon after, National Security advisor-level talks were scheduled.

But the initiative fell through at the last minute when the talks were cancelled over a proposed meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz and the Kashmiri separatists. When Pakistan pushed for an "open agenda", India said there could be no such meeting and the agenda should be confined to terrorism.

In September, both prime ministers attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York and even stayed at the same hotel, but there was no formal meeting.

Sushma Swaraj To Visit Pakistan After Modi-Sharif Handshake: Sources
Days after Modi-Sharif handshake in Paris, Sushma Swaraj likely to visit Pakistan - The Times of India
India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj may visit Pakistan - Daily Pakistan Global
Sushma Swaraj may visit Pakistan next week: reports - The Express Tribune

 

[ito]

The minute Modi met Shariff, this is given that Swaraj will go to Pakistan. It will be interesting to know whether Swaraj will keep her discourse limited to Afg-Pak related issue or will also go into Indo-Pak bilateral issues.

 

[Bang Galore]

The minute Modi met Shariff, this is given that Swaraj will go to Pakistan. It will be interesting to know whether Swaraj will keep her discourse limited to Afg-Pak related issue or will also go into Indo-Pak bilateral issues.

Regardless of what is said publicly, if she visits Pakistan, it will be to restart the dialogue process. If we know one thing after the revelations of Barkha Dutt, the GoI is pretty much the same as the previous one, only the pretense is different. It was known that Modi & NS spoke with each other on a fairly regular basis but the behaviour of the Modi government is perplexing. Why take such hard positions (Pakistan did too but NS has no control of that) if you were going to do an U turn like this. The least that could have been done was to keep triumphalism out after the Ufa declaration, that more than any thing killed that process. This is the "hathi ke dant......" bit.

 

[ito]

Regardless of what is said publicly, if she visits Pakistan, it will be to restart the dialogue process. If we know one thing after the revelations of Barkha Dutt, the GoI is pretty much the same as the previous one, only the pretense is different. It was known that Modi & NS spoke with each other on a fairly regular basis but the behaviour of the Modi government is perplexing. Why take such hard positions (Pakistan did too but NS has no control of that) if you were going to do an U turn like this. The least that could have been done was to keep triumphalism out after the Ufa declaration, that more than any thing killed that process. This is the "hathi ke dant......" bit.

I guess there is intense pressure on Modi to start the dialogue. But given the hardline position that Modi has taken with respect to Pakistan, he has very little room for any flexibility lest he loose domestically. It is obvious even if the dialogue starts, nothing will move forward.

 

[Bang Galore]

I guess there is intense pressure on Modi to start the dialogue. But given the hardline position that Modi has taken with respect to Pakistan, he has very little room for any flexibility lest he loose domestically. It is obvious even if the dialogue starts, nothing will move forward.

It is not about pressure, the revelations make it clear that Modi was saying one thing publicly & another privately. Would have much preferred the government to be more upfront on this issue, even if they were discussing details in private. Taking people for a ride by playing on their emotions has been standard with all governments, just that we now know that this one is no different. Atleast with MMS, you knew the direction even if you didn't know the details.

 

[ice_man]

It is not about pressure, the revelations make it clear that Modi was saying one thing publicly & another privately. Would have much preferred the government to be more upfront on this issue, even if they were discussing details in private. Taking people for a ride by playing on their emotions has been standard with all governments, just that we now know that this one is no different. Atleast with MMS, you knew the direction even if you didn't know the details.

@ito


BJP has no choice but to show an aggressive stance against Pakistan. which is normal but due to lack of experience went overboard. but they did hoodwink the nation

realistically both sides needed to talk. Pakistan maintained this stance while the Indians eventually ran around the table and now will sit and talk which should have happened alot earlier. Pakistan has shown alot of maturity by not claiming it as a triumph or trying to belittle india about it which usually is how politics in south asia works where anything is claimed as a victory. This is where NS political experience comes into play.

let's just hope the media doesn't create any more hysteria that pressurizes the politicians on both sides. for example the barkha dutt revelation has already given ammo to opposition parties in india and pakistan. let's hope no one else tries to stoke the fire.

i personally feel that no secret meeting took place as military attaches' are always present, so are personal security of the PMs as well as Nepal's own security cordon that keeps an eye out. not to mention hotel staff. So i think this is a publicity stunt by Barkha and nothing more.



the bottom line is time to really move forward for both nations we have no choice but to accept it and learn to live with each other.

 

[ito]

@ito


BJP has no choice but to show an aggressive stance against Pakistan. which is normal but due to lack of experience went overboard. but they did hoodwink the nation

realistically both sides needed to talk. Pakistan maintained this stance while the Indians eventually ran around the table and now will sit and talk which should have happened alot earlier. Pakistan has shown alot of maturity by not claiming it as a triumph or trying to belittle india about it which usually is how politics in south asia works where anything is claimed as a victory. This is where NS political experience comes into play.

let's just hope the media doesn't create any more hysteria that pressurizes the politicians on both sides. for example the barkha dutt revelation has already given ammo to opposition parties in india and pakistan. let's hope no one else tries to stoke the fire.

i personally feel that no secret meeting took place as military attaches' are always present, so are personal security of the PMs as well as Nepal's own security cordon that keeps an eye out. not to mention hotel staff. So i think this is a publicity stunt by Barkha and nothing more.



the bottom line is time to really move forward for both nations we have no choice but to accept it and learn to live with each other.

It is not only India, Pakistan too is not serious about the talks. The big problem is Pakistani army. Any cessation of hostilities with India means Pakistan army has very little to play politically and will loose its preeminent position in Pakistan. Everyone has their interests to protect. Similarly, India too is buying time to talk to Pakistan when the power differential between India and Pakistan is huge. Pakistan knows this too, hence its keep on harping Kashmir to keep India on check. Unless something that is acceptable to both India and Pakistan comes up on Kashmir, any talks are futile.

 

[ice_man]

It is not only India, Pakistan too is not serious about the talks. The big problem is Pakistani army. Any cessation of hostilities with India means Pakistan army has very little to play politically and will loose its preeminent position in Pakistan. Everyone has their interests to protect. Similarly, India too is buying time to talk to Pakistan when the power differential between India and Pakistan is huge. Pakistan knows this too, hence its keep on harping Kashmir to keep India on check. Unless something that is acceptable to both India and Pakistan comes up on Kashmir, any talks are futile.

the army is an excuse india has made to avoid talks. When Musharraf was in power why did india let the Agra summit fail? either it is army or it is something else india will aways find excuses. but eventually india will need to talk as both nations share a border you cannot change your neighbor.

as for power differential it has been knocked out of the equation once both nations became a nuclear power.

so the logical way forward is to sit down and talk and try and resolve outstanding issues. but with delaying the issues won't just disappear.

 

[nair]

Regardless of what is said publicly, if she visits Pakistan, it will be to restart the dialogue process. If we know one thing after the revelations of Barkha Dutt, the GoI is pretty much the same as the previous one, only the pretense is different. It was known that Modi & NS spoke with each other on a fairly regular basis but the behaviour of the Modi government is perplexing. Why take such hard positions (Pakistan did too but NS has no control of that) if you were going to do an U turn like this. The least that could have been done was to keep triumphalism out after the Ufa declaration, that more than any thing killed that process. This is the "hathi ke dant......" bit.

They criticised UPA for being soft on Pakistan, and that was their stand till the won the election, Once they are in power, they learnt how things work on foreign policy, and they found themselves in a tight spot.....Good that they are taking a progressive approach (even if it is behind the curtain)

 

[I S I]

Welcome Moti to Pakistan.

 

[ito]

the army is an excuse india has made to avoid talks. When Musharraf was in power why did india let the Agra summit fail? either it is army or it is something else india will aways find excuses. but eventually india will need to talk as both nations share a border you cannot change your neighbor.

as for power differential it has been knocked out of the equation once both nations became a nuclear power.

so the logical way forward is to sit down and talk and try and resolve outstanding issues. but with delaying the issues won't just disappear.

Pakistan army is real and you cannot discounting it in Pakistani politics especially when the topic is the relations between India and Pakistan. When I am talking of power differential, I am talking of economic differential. More rich you are, you talk more from more position of strength.

You seem to an optimist....good luck to you. I am not that optimistic about any outcome of any talks between India and Pakistan at least for next two to three decades.

 

[wiseone2]

Pakistan army is real and you cannot discounting it in Pakistani politics especially when the topic is the relations between India and Pakistan. When I am talking of power differential, I am talking of economic differential. More rich you are, you talk more from more position of strength.

You seem to an optimist....good luck to you. I am not that optimistic about any outcome of any talks between India and Pakistan at least for next two to three decades.

talks between india and pakistan are a waste. go back to fixing internal issues

 

[Bang Galore]

@ito


BJP has no choice but to show an aggressive stance against Pakistan. which is normal but due to lack of experience went overboard. but they did hoodwink the nation

Hoodwinking is too strong a word but the point is that they were always keeping the door to negotiations open, something that is made clear with news of this meeting over a year back & very early into Modi's tenure.

realistically both sides needed to talk. Pakistan maintained this stance while the Indians eventually ran around the table and now will sit and talk which should have happened alot earlier. Pakistan has shown alot of maturity by not claiming it as a triumph or trying to belittle india about it which usually is how politics in south asia works where anything is claimed as a victory. This is where NS political experience comes into play.

Not true. As I have said earlier, Modi broke 3 years of no FS level talks with an offer to hold such a meeting. It was Pakistan which muddied the waters because of NS being made weaker. Same story even after the Ufa agreement. It is still Modi doing his bit, NS is considerably weaker.

let's just hope the media doesn't create any more hysteria that pressurizes the politicians on both sides. for example the barkha dutt revelation has already given ammo to opposition parties in india and pakistan. let's hope no one else tries to stoke the fire.

That's par for the course, nothing that can be done about it.

i personally feel that no secret meeting took place as military attaches' are always present, so are personal security of the PMs as well as Nepal's own security cordon that keeps an eye out. not to mention hotel staff. So i think this is a publicity stunt by Barkha and nothing more.

I tend to believe Barkha Dutt, she won't try & sell a story she knows to be untrue in matters like this, the damage to her reputation would be massive. The governments had no choice but to deny, otherwise they would not have had the secret meeting in the first place.

the bottom line is time to really move forward for both nations we have no choice but to accept it and learn to live with each other.

True but that is a lesson best directed towards Pakistan since India is largely a status quoist territorial power.

so the logical way forward is to sit down and talk and try and resolve outstanding issues. but with delaying the issues won't just disappear.

No apparent solution that is likely to meet with acceptance of both parties.

They criticised UPA for being soft on Pakistan, and that was their stand till the won the election, Once they are in power, they learnt how things work on foreign policy, and they found themselves in a tight spot.....Good that they are taking a progressive approach (even if it is behind the curtain)

Modi called NS for his swearing in, his stand was clear that he wanted to look for better relations. My point though is more that the people should be told that there will be attempts to improve relations, even if they are not in the public eye. It is reasonably well known that Modi & NS speak to each other on the phone but there is no need to take extreme positions if one is intending to talk because the news when it breaks suddenly smacks of an U turn.

 

[ice_man]

Pakistan army is real and you cannot discounting it in Pakistani politics especially when the topic is the relations between India and Pakistan. When I am talking of power differential, I am talking of economic differential. More rich you are, you talk more from more position of strength.

You seem to an optimist....good luck to you. I am not that optimistic about any outcome of any talks between India and Pakistan at least for next two to three decades.

I am not optimistic i personally feel we are still 50 years away from improvement in ties.

However, your claims of Pakistan army being a big stake holder, i doubt that Modi and Nawaz could have had a secret meeting without the military on both sides knowing.

So either the armies (including indian army) are on board or they are simply not worried as long as national interest is not sacrificed at all. the latter is the narrative I believe. the army since Musharraf took over has come a long way and is willing to negotiate the delays usually are the works of indian bureaucracy that derailed agra.