Pakistan cancels security talks while India detains Kashmir leaders

Pakistan on Saturday canceled the upcoming much publicized top security officials' talks with arch-rival India over "pre-conditions," the Foreign Ministry said.

The national security advisers (NSA) of the two countries were scheduled to meet in New Delhi on Monday to discuss terrorism- related issue.

Pakistan's security adviser, Sartaj Aziz's plan to meet Kashmiri separatist leaders in the Indian capital has perturbed the Indian government. The Indian External Affairs Ministry had sent an "advice" to Pakistan to avoid meeting with the Kashmir leaders, however, the proposal was rejected.

India also opposed Pakistan's stance to raise the Kashmir dispute in the meeting. Indian Minister for External Affairs Mrs. Sushma Sawaraj told a news conference in New Delhi on Saturday that the meeting will only discussed on terrorism.

Pakistan considered the Indian minister's remarks as pre- conditions and Sartaj Aziz said earlier in Islamabad that he is ready to travel to New Delhi for unconditional talks.

"Pakistan, therefore, reiterates that the scheduled NSA level talks cannot be held on the basis of the preconditions set by India," the Foreign Ministry said late Saturday.

It is the second time in one year the high level talks between the nuclear neighbors have been canceled over Kashmir.

India abruptly canceled talks at the foreign secretary level last August as protest over a meeting between the Kashmiri leaders and Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi.

Pakistan insists that consulting Kashmiri leaders ahead of talks with India is a long-standing tradition.

The Foreign Ministry said that it has carefully analyzed the contents of the press conference of the Indian foreign minister Sushma Sawaraj and has come to the conclusion that the proposed NSA level talks between the two countries "would not serve any purpose, if conducted on the basis of the two conditions laid down by the minister."

A Foreign Ministry statement said the main purpose of any dialogue between India and Pakistan is to reduce tensions and restore trust as a first step towards normalization.

"If the only purpose of NSA level talks is to discuss terrorism, then instead of improving the prospects for peace it will only intensify the blame game and further vitiate the atmosphere."

That is why Pakistan had suggested that apart from discussion on terrorism related issues, the two sides should also discuss modalities and if possible a time schedule for discussions on all outstanding issues including Kashmir, the statement said.

India on its part insisted that the prime ministers of the two countries had decided in their meeting in Ufa, Russia, last month that the NSA meeting will focus on issues related to terrorism.

Also on Saturday, Indian authorities detained two Kashmiri leaders that India sees as separatists in run up to their meeting with Pakistan's top security advisor Sartaj Aziz.

The leaders were detained at the New Delhi airport and placed under house arrest at rented accommodations in the capital city.

The detention was seen as India's efforts to prevent separatists from meeting Aziz.

"Shabir Ahmad Shah along with his two supporters and Bilal Lone have been detained on their arrival in New Delhi," a separatist leader told Xinhua.

Aziz is scheduled to visit New Delhi on Sunday to hold talks with India's national security advisor Ajit Doval.

India opposes Pakistani leaders' meeting with Kashmiri separatists. On Friday it conveyed to Pakistan it would be inappropriate for Aziz to meet separatist leaders from Kashmir.

Pakistan however turned down India's suggestion as "frivolous pretext" to back off from the talks.

On Thursday, Kashmir leaders including Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained in a bid to prevent them from traveling to Delhi. However, their detention was ended after two hours by the police surreptitiously.

The meeting of security advisors of the two countries was agreed upon by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif last month during their meeting in the Russian city of Ufa.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

Separatists in the region seek an end to New Delhi's rule and have been demanding withdrawal of troops and even made it a pre- condition for entering into formal talks with New Delhi. Endi