ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Office has said that the Indian decision to call off the foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan is a setback to the efforts by the Pakistani leadership to promote good neighbourly relations with India.
The Indian government on Monday called off the foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan scheduled to be held in Islamabad on August 25 after the Pakistani high commissioner to India Abdul Basit met separatist leaders from Kashmir, invoking sharp reaction from political quarters in India.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has clearly articulated the vision of peace for development and it was in this spirit that he accepted the invitation of his Indian counterpart to attend his inaugural ceremony.
Meanwhile, the United States has deplored cancellation of Pakistan-India talks planned for next week, and urged the two South Asian nuclear powers to take steps to improve their relations.
The US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said in Washington that New Delhi’s unilateral decision to call off foreign secretaries’ talks which were scheduled to be held in Islamabad is unfortunate.
