‘ Ready for talks if Pak gives up terror’

New Delhi: India is ready to talk to Pakistan “on all issues” provided it “gives up” terrorism, sources said on Wednesday while reiterating the Indian government’s stated position. Sources also virtually rejected a proposal floated recently by Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui on a possible trilateral dialogue involving India, Pakistan and China, saying that New Delhi does not want any thirdparty mediation on the Kashmir issue.

India is ready to talk to Pakistan “on all issues” provided it “gives up” terrorism, sources said on Wednesday while reiterating the Indian Government’s stated position.

The phrase “all issues” is usually taken to include the Kashmir issue which New Delhi maintains is one to be discussed only bilaterally with Pakistan. Sources also virtually rejected a proposal floated recently by Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui on a possible trilateral dialogue involving India, Pakistan and China, saying that New Delhi does not want any third- party mediation on the Kashmir issue.

Sources said, “If Pakistan should give up terrorism, then we are ready to talk on all issues. Repeatedly, our leadership as very clearly stated this in public. That is a position that Pakistan is free to accept even now.”

Sources further said, “The Chinese ambassador’s comment was in his personal capacity. No such proposal has been received from the Chinese side. The Government of India’s position is very clear. We don’t need any third party to mediate on what is essentially a claim by Pakistan on the Indian state of J& K. This proposal has never been raised by the Chinese side.”

On greylisting of Pakistan by the Financial Action Task Force ( FATF), a global inter- governmental body to combat terror financing, sources said it “went through smoothly”. Sources said, “The Compliance needed ( by FATF) is rigorous. Some relaxation in timeline was agreed to by FATF since Pakistan said it was in the midst of an election process and that an interim Govt could not take certain measures. So that has been agreed to. For us ( India), it is important that Pakistan is held accountable on terror financing. We have taken note of a high- level commitment that Pakistan has made, saying that it will implement rigorously ... what has been said. This is something we would like to see on the ground. Let us see what they do.”

India had last week welcomed a decision by the FATF to put Pakistan on its “Grey list.”