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Pakistani foreign relations

Pakistan and India to Hold Peace Talks Amid High Security and Unresolved Issues

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan are set to hold talks in New Delhi, amidst a high-security environment and unresolved issues stemming from the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The meeting, which is the first at the ministerial level in a year, is expected to focus on confidence-building measures, with India seeking more action from Pakistan to bring militants to justice.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan's 34-year-old female foreign minister, is attending the talks, marking a historic moment for Pakistan's foreign policy.
  • The meeting comes after a year of stalled peace talks, which were last held in July 2010, and were soured by mutual recriminations.
  • Pakistan has been accused of lacking sincerity in addressing India's concerns over terrorism, particularly the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
  • India is seeking concrete action from Pakistan to bring militants to justice, including the Lashkar-i-Taiba (LiT) group blamed for the 2008 attacks.
  • Analysts expect little in the way of a major breakthrough, but interest has been piqued by Khar's appointment and her relatively youthful age.
  • The talks will be preceded by a meeting between the two countries' foreign secretaries today.
  • The Indian government has reiterated that non-engagement with Pakistan is not an option, and will look for confidence-building measures to announce after the talks.

Statistics:

  • Hina Rabbani Khar is 34 years old, making her the youngest foreign minister in Pakistan's history.
  • SM Krishna, her Indian counterpart, is 45 years older than Khar.
  • The 2008 Mumbai attacks killed 20 people and were blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-i-Taiba (LiT) group.
  • The Indian government has repeatedly argued that non-engagement with Pakistan is simply not an option.
  • The two countries have fought three wars since independence in 1947, with the Kashmir dispute being a major trigger.

Sources:

  • "Triple blasts hit Mumbai, India" by the Agence France-Presse (AFP), July 13, 2011
  • "Pakistan's new foreign minister 'an enigma'" by Tehelka, July 2011
  • "U.S. 'encouraged' by resumption of Pakistan-India talks" by Reuters, July 12, 2011
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