Sushma Swaraj rules out Modi-Sharif meeting in Kazakhstan; says Pak cannot take Kashmir issue to ICJ

India on Monday ruled out any meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif when the two will be in Kazakhstan this week, and asserted that Pakistan cannot take Kashmir issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Taking a tough stance on ties with Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said “talks and terror cannot go together” while articulating strategy of India which was based on three pillars in dealing with that country.

She also emphasised that India was engaged with other countries on the issue of cross-border terrorism.

“No meeting is scheduled either from their side or from our side,” Swaraj told a press conference on completion of three years of the government.

She was asked if Modi and Sharif will meet on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at Astana, Kazakhstan on June 8-9.

Asked about reported remarks of a Pakistani law officer that Islamabad will take the Kashmir issue to ICJ after India approached the global court in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, the minister said, “Pakistan cannot take Kashmir issue to ICJ. The Shimla agreement and Lahore declaration are very clear on Kashmir issue that it can only be resolved bilaterally. The two countries are bound by these bilateral agreements.”

She also referred to some cases pending at other courts such as Hyderabad Nizam funds case in the UK court and issues pertaining to Indus Waters Treaty before the World Bank.

Rejecting suggestions that the government had a “flip-flop” policy in handling Pakistan, she said India is very clear that “it wants to hold dialogue, resolve all issues bilaterally without mediation from any third country, organisation or anyone else. But at the same time terror and talks cannot go together.”

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The minister also emphasised that the government was asking other countries not to see cross-border issue or terrorism emanating from Pakistan from the prism of India but see if the international terrorism was in anyway linked with that country. “Finally, where was Osama bin Laden found? In Pakistan,” she said, adding it was time to finalise the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN and define terrorism.

On Pakistan’s contention that it will raise jurisdiction on the merit of the Jadhav case, she said India has a very strong argument and it will win the case. She also made it clear that India’s case was based on Pakistan’s violation of Vienna Convention under which consular access was not only “essential but compulsory”.India has made 16 requests to Pakistan to grant access to Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “involvement in espionage and sabotage activities” against the country.

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Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy and approached ICJ to save his life.