Preview: India, Pakistan Meet After Year of Living Dangerously, AlertNet, 22 February 2010
EXCERPT: "The first official talks between India and Pakistan since the Mumbai attacks offer a tiny step to stability in South Asia, but the recent bombing in Pune shows the nuclear rivals' ties may be as fragile as ever. The two nations' foreign secretaries - their top diplomats - will meet on Thursday with a foreboding sense in India that the bombing of a popular bakery in the western city of Pune that killed 13 people may herald more attacks and an even greater challenge to peace. Pune was the first Islamist militant attack on Indian soil in the 14 months since gunmen rampaged through Mumbai, killing 166 people. No one has been charged with the Feb. 13 attack, but many experts say it points to local Islamists with ties or backing from Pakistan. 'Terror is the centre and focus point of talks,' Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna told CNN-IBN television. The Indian government reacted swiftly to the Pune bombing, saying the resumption of 4-year-old peace talks broken off after the Mumbai killings would still go ahead... Krishna wants Pakistan to show it is serious in reining in Islamist groups behind the Mumbai attacks before New Delhi even considers talking about other issues that have strained ties. But Pakistan wants those other issues, namely talks on the disputed region of Kashmir as well as concerns such as shared water sources, to be on the table."
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Related articles:
India sets condition for improved relations with Pakistan, VOA News, 22 February 2010
Pakistan must curb "terror": Indian president, AFP, 22 February 2010
Pakistan is our "most important" neighbour, says Chidambaram, Daily Times, 22 February 2010
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