External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday reiterated India’s stance on bilateral discussions with Pakistan, saying that the only matters left for discussion between the two countries are Pakistan’s handover of terrorists and the vacation of illegally occupied areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
“As far as our engagement with Pakistan is concerned, our stand has been clear. Any engagement must be bilateral. We would like to reiterate that terrorism and talks cannot go together. Pakistan must hand over to India the noted terrorists, whose records and list we submitted to them some years ago,” Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing in the national capital.
“Talks on J&K will only be held regarding the vacation of PoK and when Pakistan hands over the territory to us. As far as the Indus Water Treaty is concerned, it will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably renounces its support for cross-border terrorism”, Jaiswal added.
“Just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and water and blood cannot flow together,” the MEA spokesperson stressed.
ANI
