India and Pakistan Set to Resume Peace Talks

“The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet in New Delhi on Feb. 25 for peace talks that have been stalled since the Mumbai attacks in late 2008. Although the political leaders of both countries met a few times in 2009, the bilateral talks that had attained a momentum between 2005 and 2007 remained frozen. The U.S. and Britain apparently played a facilitating role in the resumption of talks. Moreover, both India and Pakistan have realized that talking to each other keeps the hopes of reaching a peaceful resolution alive -- at the least. Pakistan maintains that terrorists who created havoc in Mumbai wanted to derail the peace process, whereas India argues that if that is the case then Pakistan should prosecute those behind the attacks in an effective and timely manner. Now that talks will resume, terrorists may strike again to discourage such an undertaking, and if such an attempt is made then it will test the resolve of both countries. Hence, it in the interest of both countries to proceed on the path of friendship expeditiously and then commit themselves to keep the channels of communication open, come what may,” says Asia Society Bernard Schwartz Fellow Hassan Abbas.

Hassan is in New York. To arrange an interview, contact the Asia Society communications department at 212-327-9271 or [email protected].