New Delhi, July 31 - With a hostile opposition continuing its attack on the controversial India-Pakistan joint statement, the government Friday clarified that progress in dialogue with Islamabad would not be possible 'in an atmosphere vitiated by violence'.
'Progress is not possible in our dialogue with Pakistan in an atmosphere vitiated by violence or the threat to use violence,' External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told the Rajya Sabha while replying to a discussion on the working of the external affairs ministry.
India 'cannot and will not' be oblivious to the continued threat of terrorism emanating from Islamabad, he told the upper house of parliament.
'The joint statement of July 16, 2009 encapsulates this view and standpoint that any meaningful dialogue with Pakistan can only follow the concrete fulfilment of their commitments not to allow their territory to be used for terrorist activities against India,' he said.