Pakistan disappoints us, says Modi
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New Delhi: Breaking his silence on cancellation of talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India was "disappointed" as Pakistan wanted to make a "spectacle" by meeting separatist leaders but said efforts will continue to build peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties with Pakistan.
He laid the ground rules for future talks, asserting that "any meaningful bilateral dialogue necessarily requires an environment that is free from terrorism and violence".
In an interaction with the Japanese media, he said "India desires peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties with Pakistan. India has no hesitation to discuss any outstanding issue with Pakistan within the bilateral framework that has been established under the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration".
He was responding to questions about the cancellation of foreign secretary-level talks which were scheduled for August 25 in Islamabad after Pakistan high commissioner to India Abdul Basit had met Kashmiri separatist leaders here prior to that.
Modi recalled that he had a "very good meeting" with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in May, 2014, when he attended the swearing-in ceremony of his government here. "We together decided that the foreign secretaries should meet and explore how to take relations forward," he noted.
