India Security Focus Would Limit Talks: Pakistan [interview], Reuters India, 18 February 2010
EXCERPT: "Talks with nuclear-armed rival India will not make the required progress if New Delhi insists on focusing on security, Pakistan said on Thursday, touching on one of the most contentious issues between the Asian neighbours. Top officials in the foreign ministries of the two countries are to meet in New Delhi on Feb. 25 after India this month offered to hold high-level talks. 'Why this focus on terrorism? How can we have good relations if we just ignore the outstanding issues like Kashmir?' Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told Reuters. 'That's an ostrich mentality.' Analysts say Pakistan does not want the talks to concentrate on security because it is sensitive to Indian criticism it has not done enough to curb anti-Indian Pakistani militant groups. Qureshi, in an interview on the sidelines of an Eastwest Institute security conference in Belgium, said much would depend on India's 'mindset' about the agenda of the meeting. 'If they want to narrow it down, if they want to restrict, if they want to overlook reality, overlook the disputes between us, we will not make the headway that is required,' he said. 'But if we put everything on the table and if we can sit and peacefully negotiate and find a peaceful resolution of the outstanding issues, then I think there is hope for the future.' Asked if his comment meant Pakistan did not want security to dominate the talks, he replied: 'If you restrict the dialogue to the area of your interest, then you're defeating the purpose - there are our interests as well.'"
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