Feb. 8 – India has offered to hold high level talks in all outstanding issues with Pakistan, the latest one since the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
The venue, agenda and time of the talks are still pending negotiations between the two. The meeting is expected ease tension in the region and particularly help American efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
“A lot of people in the United States believe that peace in Afghanistan runs through Kashmir so it’s very important for the United States and the whole international community to see that India and Pakistan are talking,” Pakistani analyst Ershad Mahmud told Reuters.
Kashmir has been a long disputed area between Pakistan and India. The two countries rule parts of it although they both have laid full claims on the area. The tension over Kashmir has spilled over neighboring Afghanistan with reports that Pakistan is supporting the Taliban while India is funding the government in Kabul. Pakistan and India are wary of each other and don’t want to see either one gain overarching influence in Afghanistan.
In addition, Pakistan has been unwilling to send more troops to help in Afghanistan with its military currently stationed at its Indian border because of tensions with India.
