Meeting with Hurriyat counterproductive to India-Pakistan dialogue: Khurshid

Gurgaon – In strong disapproval of the meeting between Pakistani prime minister’s foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz with Hurriyat leaders here, India said Tuesday that it would be “counterproductive” towards meaningful dialogue between the two countries.

Addressing the media, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid also said that India had “done a great deal” to build public opinion in favour of dialogue with Pakistan and such actions by Pakistan are not encouraging but counterproductive.

To a question on the Aziz meeting Hurriyat leaders on Sunday, in a meeting arranged by the Pakistani High Commission, Khurshid said he did not want to give advice to his “colleague from across the border” and added that if Pak! istan is serious about having a meaningful dialogue with India it would be necessary to respect “India’s sentiments, point of view and sensitivities of out country”.

“This is not a dialogue that happens in isolation, this is a dialogue that is contextual and needs public support, and we think we have done a great deal to help the Pakistan government get the public support that it needs to be able to have a fair and transparent dialogue with India.”

“The events in recent times are not seen by us or indeed by anybody in India as encouraging events, I think they are counterproductive and I would imagine if there is any seriousness in desire to reach some point of situation in which a dialogue meaningfully can take place, whatever be the end result of the dialogue, I think for a meaningful dialogue to take place conducive conditions have to be created, and it will have to be done by both sides, it cannot be only on one side.”

“Some of these events have be! en somewhat counterproductive unfortunately,” Khurshid said. Khurshid a! nd Aziz met on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting.
The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had strongly protested the meeting and criticised the government for allowing it to take place.

India raised its concerns over heightened ceasefire violations and infiltration across the Line of Control with Pakistan during the talks.