Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 24: The United States on Sunday said it was "disappointed" that the proposed talks between the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan had been called off. "We are disappointed the talks will not happen this weekend and encourage India and Pakistan to resume formal dialogue soon," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. He, however, said the "constructive" interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, Russia, was encouraging. "We were encouraged by the constructive interaction between the leaders of India and Pakistan earlier this year at Ufa, particularly the announcement of dialogue between the countries' National Security Advisors," Kirby said.
The most significant aspect of his whole statement was that it didn't say a word on the Pakistani insistence on talks on Kashmir and talks with the Kashmir-based anti-India elements. To be more precise, the US spokesperson didn't blame Pakistan; he treated both the countries alike and suggested both were responsible for the cancellation of the scheduled National Security Advisor-level talks between India and Pakistan. It is unfair. The BJP-led NDA Government did try its best to engage with Pakistan, but it was its unacceptable pre-conditions which culminated in the cancellation of talks. The Modi Government had even overlooked the Indian opinion in its bid to cultivate Pakistan, which has been blooding and convulsing the Indian political scene and breaching the international border and Line of Control on a daily basis.
In any case, the US has no locus standi in Jammu & Kashmir. India is an independent and sovereign country. No foreign power can dictate terms to India or determine India's foreign policy. New Delhi knows how to deal with and befriend its neighbours, defend its sovereign rights and protect the country's borders. It is for New Delhi to adopt appropriate measures to protect and advance further its geo-political and economic interests and is not bound to accept any intervention from any quarter in its internal affairs. Even the Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday made it loud and clear that India would not allow third party mediation in the Indo-Pak relations and that New Delhi will never compromise its stand on Jammu & Kashmir as it was, and is, legitimately Indian.
In fact, she put things in perspective, put Pakistan on the mat and sent a right message across the globe that India is a self-respecting nation and that it will not tolerate any interference in the country's internal affairs. India has its own foreign policy vis-à-vis Pakistan, she plainly told the international community.
The US would do well to hold itself aloof, as no Indian is prepared for any compromise on Jammu & Kashmir. It just can't equate the aggressed upon India with the aggressor Pakistan. It would be better if the US, instead of pumping billions of Dollars in rogue Pakistan, takes on it, which is being recognized the world over as an epicenter of global terrorism. It is Pakistan, and not India, that has become a threat to global peace. |
