INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Pakistan recently sabotaged talks with India by glorifying terrorists on postage stamps, supporting themWashington: Islamabad is seeking an
American role in facilitating talks between India and Pakistan because the two neighbouring countries are not engaging bilaterally,
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said, warning that absence of such a facilitation could lead to escalation of
tension.But the latest Pakistani request in this regard has again been rejected by the US, the top Pakistani diplomat told a Washington
audience on Wednesday, a day after he had meetings with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton, during
which he raised the issue only to be pushed back by the Trump administration."When we asked the US, to play a facilitating roleWhy do we ask
Simply because we are not engaging bilaterally
And that bilateral disengagement isa distraction
We want to focus, we want to move on the western side of the border, which we are not being able to because we have to watch our back from
eastern side (towards India)
That is not a healthy situation to be in," Mr Qureshi said in response to a question at the US Institute of Peace, a US Congress-funded top
American think-tank."Now can you (United States) facilitate The answer from them is no
They wanted (it done) bilaterally
But there is no bilateral movement," Mr Qureshi said
He went on to warn that this could lead to an escalation of tension between the two countries."If that lack of facilitation leads to
escalation and some of the statements that have come out of late have not been very helpful," the Pakistani foreign minister said in an
apparent reference to the remarks by Indian leaders; "the so-called surgical strikes and stuff like that doesn't make sense
It does not, that's politics.
there are elections around the corner," he claimed in response to a question.Imran Khan's new government in Pakistan, he claimed, is not shy
of engaging.Referring to the cancelling of his meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New York, he alleged that India
However, he quickly evaded India's reasons for this - glorification of terrorists by issuing postal stamps and brutal killing of India's
security personnel by Pakistan-backed terrorists."If the Indians have a better option, share it with us
If disengagement, if not talking to each other will resolve and stabilise the region, fine
If that's their analysis fine, a hassled Mr Qureshi said.Mr Qureshi who left for Pakistan after his meetings with Trump administration
officials said it is unfortunate that the two countries are not engaging
What does this government want We want normalisation
You've got to recognise the reality
How do we resolve them" he asked.After coming to power, the first speech made by the Prime Minister Khan was "that every step you (India)
take towards peace, we will take two
It wasn't just because it sounded good
It wasn't to please anyone
He is too blunt a person to please people
He can be very straight and he can be very blunt
But he said that because he feels that way," Mr Qureshi claimed.India has highlighted how Pakistan created the conditions for cancellation
of the meeting in New York - due to Pakistan issuing postage stamps glorifying terrorists and the brutal killing of three of its security
personnel by Pakistan-backed terrorists.The Pakistan foreign minister did not mention that in his answer and only said that the stalled
dialogue process is not good for the two countries and the region.Responding to a question on India's stand that talks and terrorism cannot
go together, a view which is shared by Washington too, Mr Qureshi referred to a statement by Imran Khan while he was an opposition leader
and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to New Delhi that "there would always be spoilers.""There will always be spoilers
There will always be elements that will scuttle the process of peace
But when they do that, let us re-engage to fight them
But we have to see what is in our interest, what is in the regional interest
What's in Pakistan's interest," Mr Qureshi said quoting what Imran Khan had told Prime Minister Modi.
