The UAE's ambassador to the United States has claimed that the UAE is playing a mediating role in restoring relations between Pakistan and India.
According to foreign news agency Reuters, high-ranking intelligence officials from Pakistan and India held secret talks in Dubai in January this year to reduce military tensions between the two countries.
Emirati diplomat Yousef Al-Atabi, addressing a virtual dialogue at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University on Wednesday, said that the role played by the UAE in reducing the Pak-India confrontation on Kashmir and establishing a ceasefire was hoped for The re-deployment will lead to a stronger bilateral relationship. The two countries may not be best friends, but we want to at least bring the relationship to a level where the two countries can talk to each other.
He added that Pakistan would have to play a supportive role in Afghanistan, adding that he feared that hasty withdrawal of US troops could jeopardize peace efforts in Afghanistan and help non-liberal forces. We find it difficult to establish lasting peace in Afghanistan without the role of Pakistan.
India and Pakistan have not yet commented on Yousuf al-Atabi's statement, but Pakistan's defense analyst Ayesha Siddique says she believes talks between Pakistani and Indian intelligence officials have been going on for the past several months. Yes, and I think top officials from both countries have met in Thailand, Dubai and London.
