National Security Advisor (NSA) level talks between India and Pakistan were held away from the public gaze in Bangkok, Thailand, after the two prime ministers met in Paris on the sidelines of the climate conference.
Important points of the meet
- Significantly, the crucial sticking point of “Jammu and Kashmir”, which was not part of the last joint statement issued by the two sides at the Russian city of Ufa in July, was discussed by the two NSAs in Bangkok.
- Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, meeting covered terrorism and peace along the Line of Control..
- New Delhi showed flexibility on this “broadening” of the agenda, which was one of the key demands of Pakistan .
- The Bangkok meeting is the first where India has held formal bilateral negotiations with Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir in a third country .
- Meeting was attended by India’s NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Naseer Khan Janjua. Foreign secretaries S. Jaishankar (India) and Aziz Ahmad Chaudhary (Pakistan) were also present during the high level meet.
- Both the countries have agreed to carry forward the constructive engagement between both countries
Background of the meet
Earlier in September 2015, the planned NSA level talks based on 2015 Ufa declaration between both countries was called off at last moment.
