India says no place for Hurriyat in talks with Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Official spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said that the government of India preferred to speak for itself.

The spokesperson replied in response to Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit’s statement that India had no objection to Hurriyat leaders being invited on Pakistan National Day.

The spokesperson went on to say that having repeated it on so many occasions there should be no scope for misunderstanding or misrepresenting India's position on the role of the so called Hurriyat.

He added, “Let me reiterate there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in resolution of India-Pakistan issues.”

He further said that the only way forward to proceed on all outstanding issues is a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework of Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration.

Abdul Basit said today that he didn't think the Indian government had any objections to his meetings with Hurriyat leaders.

Down playing his meetings with Hurriyat leaders which have earlier been the cause for India cancelling foreign secretary-level talks, Basit said, “Don’t try to make an issue out of a non-issue.”

He added that the primary objective at present is to achieve peace between India and Pakistan and resolve issues and that nothing can be resolved with show of might.

He further said the Indian Foreign Secretary was in Pakistan earlier this month and Pakistan looks forward to resumption of an engagement process.