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NEW DELHI: Talks between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan will take place as planned at the end of July despite the triple blasts in Mumbai, the Indian foreign ministry said Thursday.
India has moved to curb speculation about who was behind Wednesday's bombings, and no group has claimed responsibility, but similar incidents in the past have led to a spike in tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
New Delhi has repeatedly accused the Pakistan military and intelligence services of aiding militant groups which carry out attacks on Indian soil.
“The talks are proceeding as scheduled,” foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told AFP.
“There has been a heinous terrorist attack on Mumbai and we have duly noted the message of condolence from the president and prime minister of Pakistan.” A date has yet to be finalised for the talks in New Delhi between Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, but Prakash said it would be in the last week of July.
In 2008, 10 Islamist gunmen went on a near three-day rampage through Mumbai, killing 166 people. Delhi blamed the attack on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group and there were fears of another war between the two countries.
India broke off diplomatic relations with its neighbour in the aftermath and remains frustrated that the alleged masterminds are at large in Pakistan.
The foreign minister talks are the latest in a series of contacts between senior figures as the countries look to finalise a comprehensive peace deal that would put an end to 60 years of cross-border tension in South Asia.
