ID :
65584
Sat, 06/13/2009 - 13:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/65584
The shortlink copeid
Prime Minister to meet Zardari in Russia
New Delhi, June 12 (PTI) In the first top-level contact
between India and Pakistan after Mumbai attacks, India's Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari will meet in Russia on the sidelines of a multilateral
Summit next week to break ice in the bilateral ties.
Singh and Zardari, both of whom will be in Yekaterinburg
for the Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on
June 15 and 16, will have a brief interaction during which
they are expected to talk about the bilateral ties and the way
forward.
"They (Singh and Zardari) will be in the same room, same
place, same time. I am sure they will be meeting but what sort
of meeting is very difficult to say because time limited,"
India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said while
briefing reporters on Singh's three-day visit to Russia
beginning Monday.
"They (Singh and Zardari) will, I am sure, meet, shake
hands but more than it is hard to predict at this stage," he
said while clarifying that it would not be a structured meet.
He also did not specify when the meeting will take place,
merely saying that the time for such an interaction would be
less as the Prime Minister would be arriving in the Russian
city on Monday evening and would be attending the SCO plenary
the next morning before the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC)
Summit the same evening.
This will be the first highest-level contact between the
two countries since the 26/11 attacks as India has suspended
dialogue.
Singh and Zardari will be attending the SCO Summit as
India and Pakistan are Observers in the grouping that includes
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan.
On resumption of dialogue with Pakistan, Menon made it
clear that India is not averse to it but a proper atmosphere
needs to be created by Islamabad by taking certain actions
against terrorism.
"I think we have also said that we would like to (resume
dialogue) but that it is necessary before that we see certain
steps being taken (by Pakistan) and that we need an atmosphere
in which the dialogue can actually bear fruit and for that we
made quite clear what we think is necessary," he said.
In this context, he made a reference to Singh's statement
in the Parliament earlier this week where he had said that
India would meet the Pakistani leadership "more than half-way
on the road to peace" if action is taken against terrorism.
"There can be no more authoritative statement than what
the Prime Minister said," the Foreign Secretary said.
To a question, he said there was no formal request from
Pakistan for a meeting between Singh and Zardari in Russia.
He said India and Pakistan are "in constant touch with
each other" through their Missions. "We have established
channels of communicating with each other," he said.
Asked to comment on the statements by Pakistan Prime
Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and others recently that his
country wants resumption of the dialogue, Menon said, "I am
sure we both watch each other's statements carefully."
He also noted that in the last few days "a series of
public authoritative statements" had been made by the
Government of India, from the leadership at the highest level.
"We have seen Pakistani statements as well".
Asked whether Under Secretary of State William Burns had
pressed India to resume talks with Pakistan during his
discussions here in the last two days, Menon replied that the
US official said his country would welcome a dialogue but its
"pace and scope" had to be decided by the two countries.
Talking about foreign policy priorities, the Foreign
Secretary said India wants a "peaceful periphery" and good
relations with neighbours, improvement of ties with major
world powers and work with international community to see
rapid recovery of the world economy.
These, he said, are essential for India to meet its
domestic objectives of development and inclusive growth.
Singh will also meet Chinese President Hu Jintao,
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other world leaders
during the visit. PTI AKK
RAI
NNNN
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.
between India and Pakistan after Mumbai attacks, India's Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari will meet in Russia on the sidelines of a multilateral
Summit next week to break ice in the bilateral ties.
Singh and Zardari, both of whom will be in Yekaterinburg
for the Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on
June 15 and 16, will have a brief interaction during which
they are expected to talk about the bilateral ties and the way
forward.
"They (Singh and Zardari) will be in the same room, same
place, same time. I am sure they will be meeting but what sort
of meeting is very difficult to say because time limited,"
India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said while
briefing reporters on Singh's three-day visit to Russia
beginning Monday.
"They (Singh and Zardari) will, I am sure, meet, shake
hands but more than it is hard to predict at this stage," he
said while clarifying that it would not be a structured meet.
He also did not specify when the meeting will take place,
merely saying that the time for such an interaction would be
less as the Prime Minister would be arriving in the Russian
city on Monday evening and would be attending the SCO plenary
the next morning before the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC)
Summit the same evening.
This will be the first highest-level contact between the
two countries since the 26/11 attacks as India has suspended
dialogue.
Singh and Zardari will be attending the SCO Summit as
India and Pakistan are Observers in the grouping that includes
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan.
On resumption of dialogue with Pakistan, Menon made it
clear that India is not averse to it but a proper atmosphere
needs to be created by Islamabad by taking certain actions
against terrorism.
"I think we have also said that we would like to (resume
dialogue) but that it is necessary before that we see certain
steps being taken (by Pakistan) and that we need an atmosphere
in which the dialogue can actually bear fruit and for that we
made quite clear what we think is necessary," he said.
In this context, he made a reference to Singh's statement
in the Parliament earlier this week where he had said that
India would meet the Pakistani leadership "more than half-way
on the road to peace" if action is taken against terrorism.
"There can be no more authoritative statement than what
the Prime Minister said," the Foreign Secretary said.
To a question, he said there was no formal request from
Pakistan for a meeting between Singh and Zardari in Russia.
He said India and Pakistan are "in constant touch with
each other" through their Missions. "We have established
channels of communicating with each other," he said.
Asked to comment on the statements by Pakistan Prime
Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and others recently that his
country wants resumption of the dialogue, Menon said, "I am
sure we both watch each other's statements carefully."
He also noted that in the last few days "a series of
public authoritative statements" had been made by the
Government of India, from the leadership at the highest level.
"We have seen Pakistani statements as well".
Asked whether Under Secretary of State William Burns had
pressed India to resume talks with Pakistan during his
discussions here in the last two days, Menon replied that the
US official said his country would welcome a dialogue but its
"pace and scope" had to be decided by the two countries.
Talking about foreign policy priorities, the Foreign
Secretary said India wants a "peaceful periphery" and good
relations with neighbours, improvement of ties with major
world powers and work with international community to see
rapid recovery of the world economy.
These, he said, are essential for India to meet its
domestic objectives of development and inclusive growth.
Singh will also meet Chinese President Hu Jintao,
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other world leaders
during the visit. PTI AKK
RAI
NNNN
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.
