India, Pakistan ministers to meet in US, but prospects are low

FILE: India Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) and Pakistan newly elected PM Imran Khan. Photos: Reuters

NEW DELHI: The foreign ministers of India and

Pakistan will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this

month, the Indian foreign ministry said on Thursday, the first such

high-level meeting in years between the nuclear rivals and arch foes.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had written to his Indian

counterpart, Narendra Modi, suggesting their foreign ministers meet in

New York to try to break an impasse in ties.

With Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party gearing

for elections by the middle of next year, prospects of a rapprochement

are low. The BJP has long advocated a tough stance towards Pakistan.

The Modi government has insisted that Pakistan act against anti-India

Islamist militant groups that operate from its soil before it can

resume peace talks to resolve long standing differences over the

Himalayan region of Kashmir and other disputes.

Pakistan denies aiding and abetting attacks in India including in

Kashmir and says it is fighting militant groups for its own security.

Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said New Delhi had

agreed to a meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her

Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He sought to play down hopes of a full resumption in talks between

the neighbours that have been in deep chill ever since coordinated

attacks in Mumbai in 2008 in which 166 people were killed by

Pakistan-based militants.

“This is just a meeting, too much should not be read into the

proposed meeting,” Kumar said. “This is not a resumption of dialogue.

They asked for a meeting, we said yes.” (Reuters)