New Delhi, July 23
India today agreed to hold with Pakistan the foreign secretary-level talks in Islamabad on August 25 even as New Delhi unambiguously told the neighbouring country that meaningful bilateral cooperation could not take place amid "violence and the sound of bullets".

Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh had a half-an-hour telephonic conversation this evening with her Pakistani counterpart during which she raised the issue of incidents of firing by Pakistani troops along the International Border (IB) in recent days.

She underlined that incidents of this nature would impede the positive work the political leadership of the two countries desired to undertake. Sujatha told the Pakistani diplomat that maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the LoC was one of the most important Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) for both India and Pakistan.

Briefing reporters, MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said the two foreign secretaries decided that they would meet in Islamabad on August 25 to discuss how to move forward in the relationship between the two countries.

The spokesperson clearly indicated that the proposed meeting on August 25 could not be termed as resumption of the stalled dialogue process. The two foreign secretaries would meet in accordance with the directive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif who had met in New Delhi on May 27 after the swearing-in of the new government in India.

The spokesperson for the Pakistan Foreign Office also issued a statement in Islamabad, saying, "In keeping with the visions of the two PMs to improve and establish good neighbourly relations, the foreign secretaries agreed that the dialogue process between the two countries should be result-oriented."

This was the first contact between the top diplomats of the two countries since the meeting between their two PMs in Delhi. Only last week, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit had indicated that the two foreign secretaries would meet soon. He had also emphasised that the two countries should hold uninterrupted talks on all outstanding issues between the two countries.

The talks remain suspended since January last year when Pakistani troops had beheaded an Indian soldier and killed another along the border. India appears in no mood to resume the full-spectrum dialogue until ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops stop. 

Not resumption of stalled dialogue

* The proposed meeting on August 25 cannot be termed as the resumption of the stalled dialogue process

* The two will meet in Islamabad as decided by PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif

* They met in New Delhi on May 27 after the swearing-in of Modi government