Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Press Statement on Pakistan-India Relations, 31 July 1998, Colombo, Sri Lanka

The Prime Minister of Pakistan and India met on 29 July on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit. The main subject of their discussion was the resumption of dialogue which has remained stalemated since India resiled on the understandings arrived at in Islamabad on 23rd June 1997.

After the meeting, the Indian Prime Minister unilaterally announced that the two sides have agreed on the resumption of talks. In his statement to the press, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said that the two sides has agreed to continue the talks at the next available opportunity. It is expected that the Prime Ministers will have their next meeting at the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Durban, South Africa.

Pursuant to the directive of their Prime Ministers, the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India have met twice on 29 and 30 July, 1998 to overcome the procedural as well as substantive impediments to the resumption of Pakistan-India talks. It has not been possible for them to reach an agreement. As such the Pakistan-India dialogue remains stalemated and no progress has been made in Colombo.

At the heart of the problem lies the rigid and inflexible position which India continues to maintain in its refusal to address the issues of peace and security and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Pakistan considers it of the utmost importance that in accordance with the sequential order of the agreed agenda as well as the urgent necessity to address the issues of peace and security and Jammu and Kashmir, in keeping with the requirements of the security situation resulting from the nuclearisation of South Asia, these two agenda items must be specifically and substantially dealt with on a priority basis.

India on the other hand continues to insist that neither should these issues be given any priority nor should Working Groups be established on these agenda items. India is unwilling to move away from its Dhaka January 1998 proposal which was aimed at relegating the important issues of peace and security and Jammu and Kashmir to an omnibus mode of discussions. Pakistan desires to hold an urgent, meaningful and result oriented dialogue with India. It will remain ready to enter into such negotiations whenever India is willing to do so.

As announced by the Prime Minister of Pakistan in his inaugural address to the SAARC Summit, the Pakistan Foreign Secretary reiterated that Pakistan was willing to resume talks on the basis of the understandings arrived at Islamabad on 23rd June 1997. The Indian Foreign Secretary, however, did not agree to restore these understandings. Thus no basis exists for the resumption of the dialogue on account of India's refusal to honour the Islamabad Agreement.

However, in keeping with our positive approach, we hope, that the two sides will remain in touch through diplomatic channels to overcome the difficulties for the resumption of the dialogue.