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External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday has reiterated India's stance on bilateral discussions with Pakistan, stating that the only area left for discussion between the two countries is Pakistan's handing over of terrorists and vacating the illegally occupied area of Jammu and Kashmir.
"... As far as our engagement with Pakistan is concerned, our stand has been clear. Any engagement has to be bilateral. We would like to reiterate that terrorism and talks cannot go together. They need to hand over to India, noted terrorists, whose records and list we submitted to them some years ago, " MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing in the national capital. "Talks on J&K will be held only on the vacating of PoK and when Pakistan hands over the territory to us. As far as the Indus Water Treaty is concerned, it will remain in abeyance till the time Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support to cross-border terrorism. Just like PM Narendra Modi says, terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and water and blood cannot flow together," Jaiswal said. Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the country on May 12 had said, "The way the Pakistani army, Pakistan government are encouraging terrorism, it will destroy Pakistan one day. If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace. India's stand is very clear... Terror and talks cannot go together... Terror and trade cannot go together.... Water and blood cannot flow together. "Today, I would also like to tell the global community that our stated policy has been: if there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on terrorism; and if there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India has taken multiple diplomatic steps against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam attack. This includes holding the Indus Water treaty in abeyance. (ANI)
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