Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday clarified that the Government of India has no involvement in Track-2 dialogues between retired Indian and Pakistani officials, stating that such meetings are private initiatives and do not represent the government’s position.
Speaking to the media during his visit to Victoria, Seychelles, Misri was responding to reports that retired diplomats, military officers and political representatives from India and Pakistan participated in Track-2 discussions on the sidelines of a regional security conference held in Colombo last week.
He said such informal meetings take place regularly around the world and should not be viewed as official engagements.
“These are private events organised by private parties. There is nothing official about them,” Misri said.
The Foreign Secretary emphasised that the Government of India neither participates in nor supports these interactions. He added that individuals attending such events, including retired diplomats, retired military officials and members of civil society, express only their personal views.
“There is no official participation, no official support or involvement in these visits,” he said.
Misri further stated that the government does not attach any significance to such discussions.
“They cannot in any way represent the view of the Government of India. We really take no cognisance of these events. They don’t hold much value as far as we are concerned,” he added. (Agencies)
