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On talks with India, Canada says, 'Diplomatic conversations best in private'
Canada said it is continuing its talks with India after India asked Canada to send 41 of its diplomats posted in India home.
In line with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertion that Canada does not want to provoke India and rather wants to work with India, Canada's foreign minister Melanie Joly said diplomatic channels between India and Canada are open and there is contact between the sides. "We will continue to engage privately because we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private," the minister said after India asked Canada to withdraw 41 of its diplomats posted in India by October 10.
Canada wants private talks with India to resolve the diplomatic dispute, the minister added amid the diplomatic crisis triggered by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegation that India was behind the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. As India rejected the allegation and accused Canada of providing a safe haven to terrorists, it suspended visa services and asked the government to send home 41 of its diplomats posted in India by October 10.
Canada has its embassy in Delhi and consulates in Chandigarh, Bangalore and Mumbai. 62 Canadian diplomats are posted in India. Earlier, the MEA said the number is much higher than the number of Indian diplomats in Canada.
Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said Canada is not looking to escalate the situation with India.
The issue came up at external affairs minister Jaishankar's engagement in the US -- with NSA Jake Sullivan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The US said the allegations raised by Canada are serious and it wants India to cooperate with the probe.
In the India-Canada private talks, as Jaishankar said, India made it clear to Canada that targetted killing is not India's policy and if Canada has any specific information regarding Nijjar's killing, it should share it with India.
