New Delhi, 18 August 2014

After Pakistan envoy’s meeting with Kashmiri separatists today India has called off foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan which was scheduled for August 25.

According to PTI, the Foreign secretary of India told Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi that her talks with Pakistan counterpart on August 25 in Islamabad stands cancelled.

Foreign Secretary told Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi that Pakistan’s interference in India’s interior affairs is not acceptable.

According to ANI, the Ministry of External Affairs said: Pakistan High Commissioner’s meeting with so called Hurriyat leaders undermined the constructive diplomatic arrangements made by PM Modi. At a time when serious initiative was taken to take bilateral ties forward, invite to Hurriyat leaders raises questions about Pakistan’s sincerity. Our foreign secretary conveyed to Pakistan High Commissioner that Pakistan’s continued efforts to interfere in Indian internal affairs are unacceptable. Under present circumstances seems no useful purpose will be served by foreign secretary visiting Islamabad, therefore visit stands cancelled.Only path for Pakistan is resolve issues through peaceful bilateral talks under Shimla Agreement & Lahore Declaration.

Official statement by Ministry of External Affairs:

Statement by Official Spokesperson on Cancellation of Foreign Secretary’s visit to Pakistan on 25 August 2014

August 18, 2014

At a time when serious initiatives were being undertaken by the Government of India to move bilateral ties forward, including towards the resumption of a regular dialogue process, the invitation to so-called leaders of the Hurriyat by Pakistan’s High Commissioner does indeed raise questions about Pakistan’s sincerity, and shows that its negative approaches and attempts to interfere in India’s internal affairs continue unabated.

Indian Foreign Secretary conveyed to the Pakistan High Commissioner today, in clear and unambiguous terms, that Pakistan’s continued efforts to interfere in India’s internal affairs were unacceptable. It was underlined that the Pakistani High Commissioner’s meetings with these so called leaders of the Hurriyat undermines the constructive diplomatic engagement initiated by Prime Minister Modi in May on his very first day in office.

The only path available to Pakistan is to resolve outstanding issues through a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework and principles of the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration.

Therefore, under the present circumstances, it is felt that no useful purpose will be served by the Indian Foreign Secretary going to Islamabad next week. Foreign Secretary’s visit to Islamabad for talks on 25 August stands cancelled.

Reaction from Pakistan

Reaction to Cancellation of FS Level Talks by India

(2014-08-18)

Our High Commissioner in India has been informed by the Ministry of External Affairs that the Government of India, taking exception to the High Commissioner’s meetings with Kashmiri leaders, has decided to call off the Foreign Secretary level talks scheduled for 25th August, 2014 in Islamabad.

It is a longstanding practice that, prior to Pakistan-India talks, meetings with Kashmiri leaders are held to facilitate meaningful discussions on the issue of Kashmir.

The Indian decision is a setback to the efforts by our leadership to promote good neighbourly relations with India. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has clearly articulated the vision of peace for development. It was in this spirit that he accepted the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister to attend his inaugural ceremony. The meeting between the two Foreign Secretaries was scheduled at the directive of the two Prime Ministers.