‘Position unchanged on key issues’
New Delhi: India has reiterated that its position on key issues with Pakistan remains unchanged.
When asked whether DGMO talks which reinforce the 2003 ceasefire agreement will pave the way for dialogue process between India and Pakistan, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “On relations with Pakistan we expressed earlier that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. We have always maintained we want to address issues if any in a peaceful and bilateral manner. On key issues our position remains unchanged. I don’t think I need to reiterate.”
India has a stated position that talks with Pakistan cannot take place until it stops supporting militants and infiltration.
Informed sources said India sees the ceasefire as a positive move but will test and verify.
Meanwhile India said it has not conceded any territory as part of the disengagement agreement with China and asserted that it has rather enforced observance of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to prevent any unilateral change in the status quo.
At an online media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said there has not been any change in India’s position on the LAC and the mutual redeployment as a result of the disengagement process should not be misrepresented.
Asked about the recent agreement on the de-escalation process in Ladakh’s Pangong Lake area, he said the factual position has been very well conveyed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and in a Defence Ministry statement, which he said was aimed at setting the record straight in view of certain misleading and misinformed comments that appeared in the media.
