Manmohan-Musharraf talks almost resolved Kashmir issue: Kurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Ex Pak FM

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan foreign minister Kurshid Mehmood Kasuri has admitted that back channel talks had worked wonders during the Manmohan Singh-Pervez Musharraf regime and it almost resulted in solving the Kashmir issue.

The revelations may encourage the Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif governments on working to reduce the trust deficit.

"The backchannel negotiations were in works for three years and Pakistan Army and ISI were briefed on all the developments…India and Pakistan were at the point of agreement on Jammu and Kashmir," Kasuri told Karan Thapar at the To The Point talk show on India Today TV on Monday night.

Kasuri was speaking ahead of release of his book Neither Hawk Nor Dove in India this Wednesday. The book provides an insider account of those years — one of the most secretive and fascinating periods of Indo-Pak diplomacy.

Asserting that the formula for peace for Kashmir, besides Sir Creek and Siachen still hold good and would be basis of any future resolution, Kasuri said that Modi and Sharif should revive back channel talks. "Backchannels can achieve results…PM Modi should appoint a person he trusts for conducting backchannel talks with Pakistan," suggested the former foreign minister who held portfolio under Pervez Musharraf between 2002-2008.