NAM effect: India, Pak PMs agree gap needs bridging

Sharm el-Shaikh: In a crucial joint statement issued by India and Pakistan, both sides have agreed that dialogue is the only way forward. But this has not come about without Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserting that terror against India must be tackled.

The handshake at Sharm-el-Sheikh set the India Pakistan ball rolling again. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani deliberated for over an hour before sealing the diplomatic breakthrough.

The two sides will resume talking but there are caveats.

Manmohan Singh said, "The Pakistani Prime Minister has given in an assurance that acts like Mumbai will not happen ever again. I told him that if that happens that will strain our relations."

Pak PM Gilani put up a stiff stand saying, "Our stand is the same, that all core issues which were being debated in the composite dialogue should continue."

The highlights of the joint statement by the two PMs were:

• The joint statement tried to balance conflicting interests.
• India allowed itself to be equated with Pakistan as a victim of terrorism.
• It agreed to share real time credible and actionable information on terrorism, accepting an insistent Pakistani demand.
• There was reference to Indian support for separatist groups in Balochistan.
• Pakistan for the first time ever, accepted no direct mention of Kashmir.
• Future meetings will be only at the foreign secretary or foreign minister level, not the top political leadership.
• No dates for the next round of meetings have been set, only a general reference to meetings whenever necessary was made.

But the foreign secretaries are expected to meet on Pakistan's latest terror dossier handed over last week.

This was one point the Prime Minister indirectly underscored even if there was no progress on action against Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed.

"Pakistani PM has assured me that he too believes that action against Hafiz Saeed should be taken," Manmohan Singh said.

The two PMs have realised and are working towards a fact that diplomatic bridges need to be built between the two nations.