2. India-Pakistan Dialogue
On the same day as ending its unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir, the Indian government offered to open negotiations with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. India invited Pakistan Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf to visit India for talks with Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, and delivered a formal invitation a few days later. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said, "India is yet again offering the hand of friendship, reconciliation, cooperation and peace to Pakistan in the expectation that this opportunity shall be positively and purposefully utilized by them." The News stated that analysts believe that Vajpayee was pressured into abandoning the ceasefire by a violence-weary military and hardliners within his coalition. Media reports indicated that Pakistan Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf's visit to India is expected to take place in July.
"India offers talks to Pakistan in wake of ending ceasefire"
"India invites Musharraf for talks"
"PM invites Musharraf, ceasefire called off"
"Vajpayee invites Musharraf to Delhi for talks: Kashmir cease-fire called off"
"India calls for end to confrontation with Pakistan"
"India seeks peace, cooperation with Pak: Jaswant"
" 'Invitation to Musharraf a well thought out initiative'"
"Musharraf's Delhi visit in July likely"
Indian Foreign Office spokesman R.S. Jassal stated that there was no change in India's policy and that the talks sought with Pakistan would still be comprehensive and would not cover only Kashmir. The Times of India reports that while Pakistan would prefer to discuss only Kashmir, Kashmir is one of eight areas for discussion on India's list. Rashmi Saksena reports in The Week that the eight-point agenda offered by India includes: confidence building measures, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul navigation project, Sir Creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic cooperation, and exchanges in various fields.
"Talks will be composite, not just Kashmir: India"
"Waiting for the General "
External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh responded to media questions and his answers sought to set the baseline of India's expectations for talks with Pakistan, though he reportedly was wary of making statements that could derail talks before they had begun. Singh said that India would not agree to a referendum in Jammu and Kashmir and would not agree to "denominational nationalism" that might place the Muslim-dominated areas within Pakistan because Kashmir was essentially an internal issue. Singh also reiterated India's perspective that militancy in Kashmir was "encouraged" and "abetted" by Pakistan and that the India-Iran gas pipeline was a bilateral, not trilateral, issue.
"Jaswant against Musharraf meeting Hurriyat"
"No bargain on Kashmir, says India: Atmosphere 'conducive' to talks"
Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee stated that the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference representatives should meet first with Indian government interlocutor K.C. Pant before seeking to meet with Pakistan Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf during his anticipated trip to India. Indian Home Minister L.K. Advani suggested that the APHC would not be given a mediation role in the bilateral talks. APHC leader Abdul Ghani Lone stated that his group would seek to meet with Musharraf upon his visit to India as they had been denied the opportunity to meet with Musharraf in Pakistan. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh stated that he viewed the possibility of a meeting between Musharraf and the APHC as a "non-issue."
"Speak to Pant first, PM tells Hurriyat"
"Musharraf's Delhi visit in July likely"
"Summit meeting between Vajpayee and Musharraf likely in July"
"Jaswant against Musharraf meeting Hurriyat"
"No role for Hurriyat in talks: Advani"
The opposition Congress Party expressed support for the government's decision to invite Pakistan Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf for talks. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said, "This is the next logical step in the peace process."
"Oppn hails govt's decision to invite Musharraf"