No Summit talks sans preparation: Former Pakistan Foreign Minister

New Delhi: Summit talks between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan should not take place without any ‘proper preparations’, former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri has said, adding that the only way to end the post-Ufa deadlock is to begin secret back-channel parleys.

 

The secret talks should be conducted in the same way both sides very nearly finalised a formula for resolving the Kashmir issue between 2004 and 2007, he said.

 

Asserting that India and Pakistan should first remove the intense mutual ‘antagonism’ to improve strained ties, he said a ‘gag order’ must be imposed by their Prime Ministers against those in the establishment making inflammatory comments against each other.

 

Days after his book ‘Neither A Hawk Nor A Dove’ hit the stands in India, Mr Kasuri claimed the back-channel peace talks that almost culminated into its permanent settlement of the Kashmir issue around eight years ago had the endorsement of Pakistan military and ISI, asserting that it was time both sides ‘grow up’ and resolve it.

 

Mr Kasuri called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony last year and seeking a meeting with him at Ufa as a positive signal in approaching the Kashmir issue.

 

“High-level meetings, summit level meetings should never take place without proper preparations. There was no homework done for Ufa. It is better that these meetings do not take place. I am in favour of shaking hands, smiling, even a cup of tea in front of cameras without serious talks,” he said