India, Pakistan security officials hold talks in Bangkok

By Ahmed Adil

CHANDIGARH, India

Days after a meeting in Paris between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, the national security advisers of both countries held talks in Bangkok on Sunday to discuss issues related to peace, security and terrorism.

Soon after talks concluded on Sunday evening, India’s External Affairs Ministry issued a statement describing the talks in Bangkok as having been conducted in a "candid, cordial and constructive atmosphere".

"Pursuant to the meetings of the prime ministers of India and Pakistan in Paris, the national security advisers, accompanied by the foreign secretaries, met in Bangkok today," the statement read.

"They were guided by the vision of the two leaders for a peaceful stable and prosperous South Asia," it added.

According to the ministry, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Pakistani counterpart Nasir Janjua discussed bilateral issues during the meeting.

"Discussions covered peace and security, terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, and other issues, including tranquility along the Line of Control [between India- and Pakistan-held Jammu and Kashmir]," the ministry’s statement read, going on to note that both officials had agreed to continue to pursue a policy of "constructive engagement".

The Bangkok meeting is widely seen as a breakthrough in relations, especially in light of the fact that the two countries had called off planned talks in September due to Pakistani requests to meet with pro-independence figures in the disputed Kashmir region.

The September meeting had been planned after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif met in the Russian city of Ufa in July.

On Nov. 30, the two prime ministers met in Paris, where they had both gone to attend a major climate conference.

Before the Paris meeting, Sharif had said in Malta that his country was ready to talk to nuclear rival India without preconditions.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, meanwhile, is also expected to visit Islamabad on Dec. 9 to attend a multilateral conference on Afghanistan.