Continued terror cannot be 'new normal' in ties: India to Pakistan

MEA says government is awaiting detailed information on specifics of Nagrota attack before taking next step

Pic/AFP

New Delhi: Talking tough in the wake of attack on army camp in Nagrota, India yesterday made it clear that talks with Pakistan cannot take place in an atmosphere of “continued terror”, which it will never accept as “new normal” in the bilateral relationship.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said the government is awaiting detailed information on the specifics of the Nagrota attack before it decides on the next step. “But I do wish to emphasise that the government takes this incident very seriously and will do what it feels is required for our national security,” he asserted.

Talks with Pak at Amritsar?
Asked if there would be bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia (HoA) Conference in Amritsar on December 3 and 4, he said, “We have not received any request from Pakistan for a bilateral meeting. India has always been open to talks but obviously it cannot be that talks take place in an atmosphere of continued terrorism. India will never accept continued terrorism as the new normal in the bilateral relationship,” Swarup said.

Islamabad at odds with world
India’s sharp remarks come two days ahead of the conference where Pakistan will be represented by Sartaj Aziz, Foreign Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Hitting out at Pakistan, Swarup said Pakistan is a country which has a long record of carrying out cross border terrorism which it regards as an instrument of state policy and which puts Islamabad at odds with the rest of the international community.

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