Against the backdrop of the proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan, Congress said on Monday that the dialogue process should be allowed to unfold.
"The government in its wisdom has made a determination based upon inputs before it that there is a need to commence dialogue with Pakistan. It will be appropriate to allow the process to continue and unfold," Party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters at the All India Congress Committee briefing.
He was replying to a query on why the government, which after the Mumbai terror strikes decided not to hold talks with Pakistan till perpetrators are brought to justice, has now made this decision.
Tewari appreciated the government's diplomatic efforts with the international community after the 26/11 attacks,saying that for the first time Pakistan had to admit that its land was used for terrorist attacks against India. To a question on whether the party is satisfied with Pakistan's response to the issue of terrorism, Tewari said that though a forward movement has been made, the party is not completely satisfied.
Asked what will be the agenda of the dialogue between India and Pakistan, Tewari maintained, "we are saying that terror is the main issue", adding that there is no question of India giving in to pressures. To a query about Pakistan claiming diplomatic victory for itself with India proposing the talks, he said, "you cannot look at the issue in an incremental manner... Our priority remains that South Asia and India remains terror free. The agenda is clearly to take action against the terror elements."
