Ceasefire on LoC holding, India unwilling for foreign minister level talks

New Delhi, Jan 17: With no fresh firing reported across the Line of Control after the armies of India and Pakistan decided to call halt to tension, India has expressed its unwillingness to go in for a foreign minister level dialogue - an olive branch held out by Pakistan's foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar. Sources in External Affairs ministry today said that there was no necessity for a foreign ministry level meeting right now. Meanwhile, Pakistan has climbed down from its demand for a UN probe into killing of Indian soldiers on the Line of Control (LoC) last week and the tension has eased since the talks between top military officials of the two sides.External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Defence Minister A K Antony said this today at a meeting of the Union Cabinet while briefing on the situation arising out of the January 8 incident in which two Indian soldiers were killed, one of them beheaded by Pakistani troops.Khurshid told the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that Pakistan has indicated scaling down of its stand by wanting bilateral talks instead of its earlier demand for a UN probe into the incident, sources said.He is understood to have referred to statements made by Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to this effect and said a view on the matter can be taken after receiving communication through the formal diplomatic channels.Antony said tensions have eased on the LoC since the talks between the Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan yesterday.He is learnt to have told the meeting that the ceasefire has been holding since yesterday and there has been de-escalation of tensions.The DGMO's of India and Pakistan had yesterday agreed not to allow escalation of tensions along the LoC.Pakistan's DGMO conveyed that orders have been passed to the troops to strictly observe the ceasefire and exercise restraint, according to the Army Headquarters.External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said today that talks between India and Pakistan have not been frozen. Khurshid said Thursday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would decide on Islamabad's offer of foreign minister-level talks. Dr Singh had stated two days ago that there can be "no business as usual" with Pakistan."The differences have to be resolved and for that we need to proceed with wisdom, keeping in mind the interest and sentiments of the nation. We will await the prime minister's direction in this regard," Khurshid told a news channel."Having said that, it is certainly something that we noted and something that we would look very carefully and let us see what is acceptable. Talks have not frozen between India and Pakistan."Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has called for talks with Khurshid, saying that continued tension along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir was not in the interest of South Asian peace.Khurshid said any problem between the two countries had to be solved by them only."What we have always maintained that there is a problem and we have to resolve among ourselves and we cannot be hoping and working towards finding somebody else to step in and resolve it."Khurshid said that India was hopeful that Pakistan had understood the "strong message" of the prime minister, who Tuesday said it could not "be business as usual" following the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers near the LoC, and would respond positively."An atmosphere is needed for the talks to go on. We are hopeful that Pakistan will understand the message sent by our prime minister," he said."Some signals are positive. What we heard from the military is welcoming. But we have to assess the overall situation," he added.