Seeking to blame India for the "last-minute hitch" in talks, Pakistan today said New Delhi appeared to be unwilling to commit to a roadmap for future engagement and made it clear that the dialogue cannot move forward if Kashmir is not discussed.

"If we focus more only on those issues which India gives importance to and ignore those considered important by Pakistan, then I don't think the talks can move forward," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters, a day after his meeting with Indian counterpart S M Krishna.

"Kashmir has been part of our negotiations. It is a disputed territory. It is not possible to delink Kashmir from the negotiations," he said.

He said it would not make sense to discuss aspects like cultural and trade relations while ignoring "core" issues like Jammu and Kashmir, peace and security and Siachen. "We understand their concerns and want to address those. But there are concerns of Pakistan which they (India) should address," he said.

Taking a dig at Krishna, Qureshi said he did not step out of the talks to "attend any phone calls", but the "Indian Foreign Minister received foreign policy directions from New Delhi repeatedly during our meeting".

"I led Pakistan's team and I didn't need to make even a single phone call (to Pakistan leaders) during the day-long talks. Krishna is the principal for giving direction to foreign policy (but) why were directions being sent repeatedly from Delhi?"

He said the Indian side had been "selective" in yesterday's talks but such an approach did not

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India was selective, not prepared, says Qureshi

conform to the spirit of the meeting of the Indian and Pakistan premiers in Bhutan in April as they had decided to discuss all issues.

He said there was "no deadlock" but acknowledged that there were "difficulties and problems" that both sides would have to overcome. "It is the nature of India-Pakistan talks that whenever there is progress, there is always a last minute hitch. There was no hitch from Pakistan's side."

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