Composite Dialogue Can’t Be Resumed At Present:Rao

Voicing concern over Pakistan’s inaction against perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, including Hafiz Saeed, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirpuma Rao on Tuesday warned that India’s restraint should not be confused with weakness and said it is “very, very difficult” to resume composite dialogue at present adding that some of the leaders of these groups continue to have access to the airwaves to make threats against India.

In a TV interview, Indian Foreign Secretary said that “It is very, very difficult to be convinced in such a situation that we should set aside these concerns and just move on. And that is why, I said when you talk of resuming composite dialogue (it) becomes very, very difficult to do that in the current situation,” Rao said.
At the same time, she said the door for talks with Pakistan had never been shut.
She also declared India will not scale down its presence in Afghanistan, a Pakistani wish that is playing on American minds.

Despite the “brazen and malignant” nature of the threats India faced, Rao said, India has made several genuine efforts to restore trust and confidence. But now in the face of Pakistani intransigence, public opinion in India “can hardly be expected to support the resumption of a full-blown Composite Dialogue.”