No reason why talks with Pakistan can't be considered: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today favoured a dialogue with Pakistan in principle and cautioned the Narendra Modi government against having "zigzag policy and kneejerk reactions" on foreign policy issues.

"We have strongly supported the government on foreign policy issues. But we have to realise that we cannot keep changing our policy and talk process on a daily basis or every month as the wind changes," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

"This does not benefit. Government should bring a clarity on it," he told reporters at the AICC briefing.

Government had yesterday said that the Kashmir issue can only be discussed under the framework for dialogue agreed with Pakistan even as it remained non-committal about any meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the upcoming SAARC meet in Nepal.

Reacting to Sharif's request to US President Barack Obama to take up the Kashmir issue with the Indian leadership during his visit to India in January next year, the External Affairs Ministry said that "there is a simple two-way street to promote peaceful" ties between the two neighbours. We are for cooperative and peaceful ties with Pakistan".

Asked about Congress views on Indo-Pak talks, Singhvi said that in principle he does not see any reason why talks and dialogue cannot be considered.

At the same time he added, "Obviously you cannot have steps backward and forward. Zigzag, kneejerk reactions won't work."

Congress has been critical of Modi's foreign policy on many counts in recent months.