India rules out ‘ third- party’ influence in talks with Pak

India has made it very clear that no third party has any role in the Indo- Pak parleys despite Pakistan’s stand that it would continue to speak to Kashmiri separatist leaders whom Islamabad terms as the “voice of Kashmiris”, highlyplaced government sources said on Monday.

“What we have agreed with Pakistan during the external affairs minister’s visit to Islamabad for a Bilateral Comprehensive Dialogue. So, it is a bilateral thing and no third party has any role to play in the discussions between India and Pakistan,” sources were quoted as saying by news agencies, when asked

It is a bilateral thing and no third party has any role to play in the discussions between India and Pakistan, sources were quoted as saying by news agencies

what would happen if a Pakistani delegation again meets Hurriyat separatists in the run- up to next month’s expected meeting between the Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries.

India is also very clear that any attempt to consult Kashmiri separatists will be highly undesirable. The Indian assertion assumes significance as Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit reportedly recently said at an event, held after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj’s Islamabad visit, there was no change in Islamabad’s policy towards Hurriyat leaders as they represented the “voice of Kashmiris” and hoped that the dialogue process will not be halted even if there were roadblocks.

“Hurriyat represents aspirations of people of Kashmir. As far as we are concerned, there is no change in our policy towards them,” Mr Basit had said when asked whether Hurriyat leaders will be invited for dinner if the talks between India and Pakistan were held in the national capital.