‘Conducive atmosphere must for talks’
As the likelihood of a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York later this month grows stronger, India has said that a conducive atmosphere is essential for the meeting.
Ahead of the planned talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid conveyed to Sartaj Aziz, the Pak PM’s adviser on foreign affairs and national security on Friday that a possible meeting between the two PMs in New York will require a conducive atmosphere and delivery for it to materialise.
Further, Mr Khurshid told Mr Aziz that this is a position that has been reiterated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Singh last Saturday said he will have to factor in “certain harsh realities” on the ground relating to terrorism and progress in Mumbai attack probe before arriving at a “final decision” on meeting Mr Sharif.
Mr Khurshid conveyed this message when he met Mr Aziz on the margins of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Summit in Bishkek in Kyrgyztan on Friday.
During the meeting, Mr Aziz is learnt to have informed India that it has named a new prosecutor for the much-delayed Mumbai attack trial and will send a judicial commission on September 23 to cross-examine key Indian witnesses.
Post new comment