PAKISTAN STARTS PEACE TALKS
Although Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently appointed a four-member delegation to commence peace talks with the Taliban in Islamabad, designated government representatives were absent for the first scheduled meeting on Tuesday. Though the government representatives appeared for talks later that day, the disillusioned Taliban members left the capital by evening.
On Thursday, a more productive round of talks were held, in which the government demanded an end to terror attacks and asked to meet the Pakistani Taliban in their bastion of Waziristan. The Taliban representatives, meanwhile, asked for a clarification of the scope and mandate of the talks, and requested to meet with the Pakistani prime minister, intelligence chief, and army chief. (The New York Times, February 4, 2014; The Hindu, February 6, 2014)
INDIA'S NAVAL WOES CONTINUE
The Indian navy has commenced another internal probe after the INS Airavat, one of India's most advanced amphibious warfare vessels, mistakenly ran aground near the Vishakapatnam port. The incident caused irreparable damage to the ship's propeller as it tried to navigate the shallow channel. However the incident joins a growing list of embarrassing mistakes for the Indian Navy, including the sinking of a Kilo-class submarine last year from internal explosions and the collision of an Indian frigate with a fishing boat last December. The Indian Navy stripped the captain of the Airavat of his command. (The Times of India, February 5, 2014)
MALDIVES, INDIA IN SECURITY TALKS
Last Tuesday, Maldivian Chief of Defense Forces Maj Gen Ahmed Shyam began a four-day visit in India in order to commence bilateral security talks. The dialogue aims to strengthen military ties and enhance communications and the discussions centered on India's commitment to supply and fortify the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF). India agreed to open its doors for MNDF personnel to its armed forces medical schools and the two sides agreed to hold joint military exercises this year. (Maldives Times, February 4, 2014; Security Watch India, February 5, 2014)
PAKI CALLS FOR RESUMPTION OF "COMPOSITE DIALOGUE"
Pakistan has again called for a continuation of bilateral peace talks with India on a wide range of unresolved security issues. The negotiations, officially called the "composite dialogue," began in 1997 and were designed as a forum to address a broad range of issues and advance relations. After gaining some momentum in the mid-2000s, the talks have been largely on hold since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which was traced back to Pakistani-based militants, suspected of being supported by Pakistan's intelligence services. The response from Delhi was optimistic but cautious, India's foreign secretary insisting that talks would be difficult before there was forward movement on the Mumbai case in Pakistan, a resolution of some outstanding trade issues, and an end to support for terrorism in Kashmir. (Security Watch India, February 5, 2014; The Nation February 1, 2014)