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Pak's Use of Terror Major Roadblock in Ties: Foreign Secretary
[OUTLOOKINDIA] India's efforts to have "closer and broader" cooperation in South Asia often faced roadblocks due to "unique challenge" from Pakistain which tends to use terrorism as an instrument of policy of diplomacy, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said tonight.In strong criticism of Pakistain, he said almost all major iniatiatives of India in SAARC -- be it enhancing connectivity or having deeper engagement in some other key areas -- did not fructify due to hurdles posed by Islamabad, adding terrorism is central to the problem. The Foreign Secretary described Pakistain as a country which not only has a "different view of the region but also has an atttitude towards use of terrorism as a instrument of policy of diplomacy which makes it a difficult partner for all of us." The Foreign Secretary was interacting with journalists at Foreign Correspondents' Club here during which he touched upon a wide range of issues including challenges on foreign policy front and India's engagement with major powers like US, Russia and China. Talking about government's neighbourhood first policy, he said though India has been sincere in ensuring development of the region, its politics often come into play. "While we all agree that we should move forward, it does not always go smoothly as domestic politics of our neighbours pose challenges. We have learnt to be patient and the mix of diplomacy and patience did see through difficult situations," said Jaishankar. Posted by: Fred 2016-08-18 |
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