ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: Pakistan on Monday downplayed the expulsion of a senior Indian diplomat and said it should not impede the peace process with India. “In our view the expulsion should make no difference to the peace process,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said when her attention was drawn to the Indian government’s position that expulsion of its diplomat would undermine bilateral ties.

Responding to questions at a weekly news briefing here, she said the “baseless allegations” also vitiated the atmosphere between the two countries and emphasised: “But we have to move beyond that.”

She mentioned the talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries on the sidelines of Saarc ministerial meeting in Dhaka last week and said: “They agreed that various processes that were underway between the two countries would continue, nothing would be frozen.”

The spokesperson said New Delhi had not yet proposed new set of dates for the postponed foreign secretary-level talks.

When asked if the expulsion of the Indian diplomat by Pakistan had not further strained relationship between the two countries, Ms Aslam pointed to the circumstances that had led to it and said diplomats also had certain responsibilities.”

When repeatedly questioned about the state of the India-Pakistan peace process, she avoided characterising it and said: “Peace process is in the interest of Pakistan, India, this region and the world at large. It should not be seen as a concession one party is making to the other.” She emphasised that the peace process was vital for economic development of the region, adding that South Asia had been left behind in economic cooperation and economic linkages compared to other regions that had reaped the benefits of such cooperation. “This is something we need to overcome,” she stated.

In reply to a question she said: “We do not see any linkage between terrorist acts in India or Pakistan and the peace process. We have seen some statements from the Indian leadership as well that the peace process has not been derailed, it will continue.”

The FO spokesperson recalled the April 18, 2005, joint statement issued after President Gen Musharraf’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and said: “The leadership of the two countries pledged that they would not allow terrorist acts in either country to impede the peace process.”

Replying to a question regarding India’s emphasis on the Jan 6, 2004, statement, Ms Aslam underscored that the April 18, 2005, statement followed the Jan 6, 2004, statement and it was the last joint declaration between the two countries. She declared: “We are committed to every agreement and every understanding that we have between our two countries starting with Article 6 of the Shimla Agreement and all subsequent understandings, joint statements and agreements.”

The spokesperson emphatically said: “We are not selective, we do not quote agreements selectively but I may point out here 18th April Joint Statement certainly came after the 6th January Statement.”

IRAN: On media reports that Pakistan had conveyed concern to Iran regarding anti-Pakistan activities being carried out by the Indian consulate in Zaidan, the spokesperson said she was not in a position to confirm. However, she was quick to point to Pakistan’s position about foreign involvement in Balochistan.