Islamabad/New Delhi May 22 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday proposed Saudi Arabia as a neutral venue for talks with India, stating that the United States could take lead as a mediator between the two countries.
Talking to journalists in Islamabad, Sharif said that if there are going to be talks between India and Pakistan, they will be at the National Security Advisors (NSA) level, adding that the agenda of the talks would be focused on Kashmir, water, terrorism, and trade.
Shehbaz also said that the tensions between India and Pakistan are de-escalating in phases since the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on both sides started engaging with each other.
"If talks were held between the two arch rivals, the National Security Advisor will lead Pakistan's side in the process. Saudi Arabia can be a neutral venue with the US leading mediations. But India has not agreed to any neutral venue for talks till now," he said.
"The agenda of the talks would be Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism. These will be the key points during Pakistan-India talks," Sharif added.
Shehbaz said that the decision to promote Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir to Field Marshal, was taken solely by the government after consultation in the Federal Cabinet and getting a nod from Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) founder and brother Nawaz Sharif.
The Pakistani's PM's comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's firm stance against terrorism, saying there would be no talks or trade with Islamabad unless it relinquishes its illegal occupation of Kashmir.
"If there is to be any talk, it will be on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). If Pakistan continues to export terrorists, it will be left begging for every penny. It will not get a single drop of Indian water," he said while addressing a massive public rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner.
PM Modi also made it clear that "playing with the blood of Indians will cost Pakistan dearly".
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