Pakistan Ready To Negotiate With India

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar/PHOTO US Institute of Peace Via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - Pakistan has stated that it is ready to negotiate with its arch-enemy, India. Both sides used fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aircraft, and artillery last month in four days of clashes.

The incident was the worst fighting between the two countries in decades, before a ceasefire that the US said was brokered on May 10. India denies any third-party role in the ceasefire.

"Whenever they ask for dialogue, at any level, we are ready but we are not desperate," Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told a news conference in Islamabad.

The spark of the fight was an attack on April 22 on India's cap that killed 26 people, most of whom were tourists.

New Delhi blamed the incident on a Pakistan-backed "terrorist", a charge Islamabad denies.

Dar said Pakistan wanted a comprehensive dialogue on issues including water, while India only wanted to focus on terrorism.

"It's impossible. Nothing is more serious than us. It takes two people to dance to him," he said, referring to a statement by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who said talks should only cover the issue of terrorism.

New Delhi previously said the only remaining issue to be discussed with Pakistan was the release of what India described as Pakistan-controlled territory intensifiesAM - a disputed Himalayan region claimed entirely by the two countries but only partially controlled.

Pakistan is eager to discuss the right to water after India "delays" the Indus Waters Agreement following the April 22 attack. The agreement guarantees water for 80% of Pakistan's agriculture from three rivers flowing from India.