No meeting between Gilani, Singh on sidelines of SAARC: Pak

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Apr 15 (PTI) Pakistan Thursday said no
meeting has been scheduled so far between Prime Ministers
Yousuf Raza Gilani and Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the
SAARC summit later this month though it had proposed one and
insisted that restarting dialogue was "a necessity".
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told a weekly
news briefing that no meeting between the two premiers has
been scheduled on the sidelines of the regional summit to be
held in Thimphu on April 28-29 though a proposal for such a
meeting was part of a roadmap provided recently by Islamabad
to New Delhi.
"As far as a formal meeting in Bhutan is concerned, it
has yet not been pencilled in.
"Nevertheless, given that our roadmap also provided
for a summit meeting in Bhutan, we look forward to a
meaningful engagement with India," he said in response to a
question.
Indian Prime Minister Singh was Wednesday evasive when
asked whether he would meet Gilani in Bhutan during the SAARC
Summit. "I think there is still time to think about the
meeting in Bhutan. When we reach there we would cross the
bridge."
The Prime Minister had Wednesday said India could
resume dialogue with Pakistan on all issues if "concrete" and
"effective" action is taken against those behind the Mumbai
terror strikes.
Basit said neither country would be doing the other a
"favour" by resuming the peace process that was stalled in the
wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
"Let me also underline here that engaging in
meaningful and result-oriented talks is in our mutual interest
and in the interest of this region. It is not a favour by
Pakistan to India or vice versa," he said.
Asked about Singh's remarks, Basit said the legal
procedure for the of Pakistani suspects linked to the Mumbai
attacks was underway.
However, he made it clear that talks are "a necessity
between the two countries and for peace in the region".
Referring to the two brief meetings between Gilani and
Singh on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit hosted
by the US in Washington, Basit said the "two Prime Minister
shook hands and exchanged pleasantries".
He also said "there was mutual warmth in the
handshakes". MORE PTI