Indian FM: Indo-Pak dialogue after Sharif settles in office

Indian Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid Friday said New Delhi would give Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif time to settle in office and understand the situation there before extending an offer for talks. "We want Nawaz Sharif to understand the situation there first before extending an offer for parleys. Later on we can restart a process of dialogue between the two countries," he said. "I hope we can start dialogue process at the secretary level and that can move ahead with satisfaction with several confidence building measures (CBMs)." Khurshid Friday reached Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir on a two-day visit. He said there are some CBMs which are to be implemented by both the countries to further improve the atmosphere. "Islamabad was thinking of granting India the Most Favored Nation status but that got delayed," said Khurshid. He said New Delhi was also working on a having a liberal visa process between the two countries. "Kashmir could only be won with a battle of hearts and minds not muscle and power," he said. "We've to take care particularly of hearts and minds." Khurshid also described Kunan Poshpora incident as "shameful." He said it was necessary to make people accountable for what happened. It is the first time that an Indian minister had commented upon Kunan Poshpora incident in which army is accused of mass rape of women during cordon operation at village Kunan Poshpora in frontier Kupwara district on the night Feb. 23, 1991. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from British, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.