news details |
|
|
| Pak to raise Kashmir and water, India to focus on terrorism | | Krishna-Qureshi talks | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 4: Islamabad has begun finalising its agenda that it intends to discuss during the meeting between the Indian Foreign Minister, S.M. Krishna, and his counterpart in Pakistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.The exercise has started after Pakistan's National Security Comm-ittee recommended to the establishment in Islamabad that it should hold meaningful dialogue with Delhi on the issues of Kashmir and water.
This indicates that Islamabad may insist on discussion on Kashmir and water.The stand taken by Islamabad is on the expected lines.While Pakistan has been consistent in its stand on making bilateral talks Kashmir centric it has added importance to the issue of water during the last five years only after India began providing assistance to Jammu and Kashmir for building new hydel power projects on the water of the rivers flowing within the state.Even after its recent visit to Delhi Pakistan's Indus Water Commission team has expressed dissatisfaction over the talks it held with the Indian Indus Water Commission members.It has expressed dissatisfaction on the plea that it was not provided with exact details on the dams and the design of the new power projects, especially that of Nimoo Bazgo and Chutak being built on the Indus river.Islamabad has alleged that these power projects could obstruct the flow of water to Pakistan.
Against this the Indian Indus Water Commissioner, G.Rangathan, stated that the team from Pakistan had been given the construction plans and the maps of the three new power projects being built in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Pakistani team was briefed on the technical aspect of the project.This way Delhi is upset over the plan of Islamabad on raising hurdles in the comnpletion of the power projects by raking up the issue of violation of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960. Under this Treaty Pakistan has exclusive right on the water of the Jehlum,Indus and Chenab which means that India has to seek approval from Pakistan for new hydel power projects and for lift irrigation schemes.
Reports indicate that Krishna may not be averse to discussing Kashmir and water issues with Qureshi during the talks that are scheduled to begin in Islamabad on July 15.
Prior to the foreign ministry level talks the foreign secretaries of the two countries are to meet and set the stage for Krishna-Qureshi parleys. Even while the Indian side may not be averse to discussing Kashmir and water it has decided to focus its attention on terrorism.
Delhi has taken a unilateral decision to hold talks at the foreign ministry level to reduce the level of distrust.Delhi agreed to resume the dialogue to make yet another attempt at confidence building measures that were needed for reducing the gulf between the two sides.
At the same time Delhi will not budge from raising the issue of terrorism in the talks because it is not satisfuied over the measures Islamabad had taken for countering the activities of terrorists and its failure to take in hand steps that could prevent terrorists from using the soil of Pakistan for exporting terror to India.
Experts in Delhi believe that Krishna-Qureshi talks may achieve some breakthrough if Islamabad,during these over 40 days,initiated tough measures against those agencies engaged in exporting terror to India.Talks could break if Islamabad insists only on discussing water and Kashmir. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
