NEW DELHI – The government confirmed on Thursday that National SecurityAdviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Khan Janjua inBangkok last month with a focus on how to fight terror and end cross-borderterrorism, NDTV has reported.
“Yes, I agree talks took place. I also agree that the issue is ofterrorism. Talks were held on how to rid this region of the scourge ofterrorism, how to ensure that terrorism doesn’t affect this region. I thinkwe raised the issue of cross-border terrorism (with Pakistan) in thosetalks,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
“‘We have said terror and talks cannot go together but talks on terror candefinitely go ahead,” Mr Kumar added.
Mr Doval and Mr Janjua met in Bangkok on December 26, said media reports, aday after the mother and wife of retired Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhavmet him in Islamabad.
The spokesperson de-linked the meeting between the NSAs from the stalledIndia-Pakistan dialogue process and said it was a part of operational levelengagement between the two countries.
“The dialogue process between India and Pakistan… We have said talks andterror cannot go together. But apart from that, there are other dialoguemechanisms that take place between India and Pakistan like talks at DGMOlevel, talks between BSF and Pakistan Rangers, there is a regularmechanism. Likewise, talks between NSAs is a part of operational leveltalks.”
Asked if more such meetings between the NSAs were scheduled, Mr Kumar said”these operational-level mechanisms do take place… but we don’t announcethese meeting. As and when these meetings take place, you will get to know.”