New Delhi: A day after Pakistan called off the National Security Advisor-level talks with India, former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha on Sunday hit out at the neighbouring country for misinterpreting the Ufa agreement.
Sinha asked the Narendra Modi government not to talk to Pakistan and said, "Not talking to Pakistan will not lead to war. I believe we should not engage with Pakistan until we are absolutely sure about the outcome."
Accusing Pakistan to be in the state of denial, Sinha said, "Pakistan was absolutely wrong and India is absolutely right. They are misinterpreting Ufa. I'm entirely with the government.
"Pakistan misinterpreted Shimla Agreement and they also ignored January 2006 joint statement. They are misinterpreting Ufa agreement which clearly said that NSA level talks will be on terror," added Sinha.
Pakistan wanted to have Kashmir on agenda and meeting of NSA Sartaj Aziz with Hurriyat leaders which was unacceptable to India. With both sides refusing to budge down, the talks were called off by Pakistan on Saturday.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had made it clear that the NSA-level talks would focus only on the issue of terrorism and nothing else. While addressing a press conference, Swaraj said, "There cannot be talk with terror, but there can be talk on terror, and it is a must. The understanding in Ufa clearly stated in writing that the agenda was decided."
The decision to hold talks was taken when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, Russia in July on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
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