PM to meet Gilani in Egypt next week

New Delhi, July 9 (PTI) India's Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani will
meet in Egypt next week on the margins of Non Aligned Movement
(NAM) Summit to decide on the future course of ties on the
basis of what Islamabad has done to address India's concerns
on terrorism.

Singh will be travelling to Sharm-el Sheikh on July 14
for the two-day 15th Non Aligned Movement Summit beginning
next day focussing on the global financial crisis and
international peace.

On his way to Egypt, the Prime Minister will visit Paris
where he will be the Chief Guest of Honour at the French
National Day, Vivek Katju, Special Secretary in the External
Affairs Ministry, said while briefing mediapersons on the
two-nation visit beginning July 13.

During his three-day stay in Sharm-el Shaikh, Singh will
have a meeting with Gilani besides some other leaders.

Prior to the meeting between Singh and Gilani, Foreign
Secretary Shivshankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart
Salman Bashir will discuss terrorism and steps taken by
Islamabad to bring to book perpetrators of November 26 Mumbai
attacks and dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism.

Menon and Bashir, whose meeting is expected on July 14,
will then report to their respective leaders who will take
stock of the situation and decide on future course in
bilateral ties.

"There will be a meeting," told reporters here Thursday
when asked whether Singh and Gilani will meet.
Katju said the exact date and time for the meeting
between the two Prime Ministers was still to be finalised.

The Singh-Gilani meeting, expected on July 16, will take
place two months after the Indian leader met President Asif
Ali Zardari in Yekaterinburg in Russia.

During the first top level interaction after the Mumbai
attacks, Singh bluntly told Zardari in full media glare that
Pakistan must end terrorism directed against India.

On the NAM Summit, Katju said it was taking place at a
"very crucial juncture" when the world is confronted with the
economic meltdown.

The multilateral organisation of developing countries
will discuss ways to address the challenges including the
economic crisis, he said.

He said though the economic crisis did not originate in
the developing world, it has a bearing on such nations.

"This is an important Summit," Katju said, adding the
voice of the NAM will contribute to addressing the challenge.

India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, National
Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon would accompany Singh for the NAM Summit.

Krishna will attend the NAM Foreign Ministers meeting
ahead of the Summit.

To a question, he said NAM has "continuing relevance"
as the principles seeks can be applied to address the present
day challenges as well.

Among other challenges, he said terrorism is very much
on the agenda of the NAM.

Pointing out that India had introduced a resolution on
Comprehensive Convention against Terrorism at the UN in 1996,
the MEA official hoped the NAM countries would support its
adoption which will make an important contribution towards
addressing the problem.

He said that India's commitment to NAM is firm and
abiding and it will continue to play an important role in it.

The NAM stands for principles which India has always
espoused like sovereign equality of states, respect for
territorial integrity and peaceful, equitable and just world
order.

For the first time, "NAM First Ladies' Summit", with the
theme 'Women in Crisis Management -- Perspectives and
Challenges, Best Practices and Lessons Learned', will be held
parallel to the main Summit. It will be addressed by Prime
Minister's wife Gursharan Kaur would speak at it. PTI VMN
RAI