New Delhi on Thursday ruled out any formal talks with Pakistan unlessIndia’s neighbor stops supporting “cross-border terrorism”.
The recent appointment of Shehbaz Sharif as new prime minister has raisedhopes of an easing of tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals, who havefought a series of wars since independence from Britain in 1947.
But India said there would be no negotiations unless Islamabad ensures anatmosphere of peace and diplomacy.
“Our stand is clear. We want an environment free of terror,” ArindamBagchi, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters at a Thursdaypress conference.
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Only then is dialogue possible, it “doesn’t matter what the government onthe other side says.”
Bagchi added that a recent exchange of letters between Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Sharif were part of routinediplomatic courtesies.
