Menon, William Burns Hold Talks, Discuss Indo-Pak Issues
The US Under Secretary of State William Burns on Wednesday held conversation with Foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon. During the talks, Menon is understood to have communicated India’s disappointment and displeasure over Pakistan’s inaction against perpetrators of Mumbai terror attacks.
In the course of detailed discussions which covered bilateral and regional issues, the two sides are believed to have discussed the possibility of resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue that has been stalled since Mumbai attacks.
It is believed that Menon told Burns that India is not disinclined to resuming dialogue with Pakistan but a proper atmosphere need to be created by Islamabad for that.
The Foreign Secretary is understood to have emphasised that talks cannot happen in an atmosphere of violence and lingering fears of terror attacks emanating from Pakistan.
Menon is also believed to have told Burns that India is disappointed with Pakistan’s inaction against those behind the Mumbai attacks, which is highlighted by the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
Ahead of Burns’s visit, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in Washington, “We would support more dialogue between the two countries. I am sure that Under Secretary Burns will talk about this issue among the many issues that he has on his agenda.”
