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PoojaKhatri
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Sir, several Members have voiced their concerns over the situation in Pakistan and the terrorism that is emanating from there against India. The Government fully shares these concerns. We are taking all necessary steps to strengthen our internal security and defence capability. The Government has kept Parliament fully informed at every stage of our policy towards Pakistan. I had made a detailed statement on our policy towards Pakistan in this august House on 29th July, 2009. The External Affairs Minister briefed the House on the last round of Foreign Secretary level talks in February. Our policy towards Pakistan is consistent, cautious and realistic. I have never believed that the channels of communication with Pakistan should break down. Even at the height of the Cold War, the Americans and the Soviets used to speak to each other.
The chances of mis-calculation can only increase in an environment of no contact. I, therefore, personally conveyed our concerns to President Zardari when I met him in Russia and later to Prime Minister Gilani at the NAM Summit last year. I had made an offer of talks on humanitarian and other issues in October last year during my visit to Anantnag. The decision to resume talks at the Foreign Secretary level is not a sudden decision but a calculated one, based on weighing all the costs and benefits. The fact of the matter is that the rest of the international community, despite Pakistan's role in terrorism, is talking to Pakistan. So, our not talking to them is not going to isolate them. We have made our points strongly, but we cannot wish away the problem by not talking to them. Dialogue is the only way forward for civilized countries to resolve their problem. But, it is equally true that for any meaningful.