No ruling out Singh, Gilani meeting during SAARC meet: Krishna

Priyanka Tikoo
Thimphu, Apr 26 (PTI) In a first official indication of a
possible meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and
Pakistan here, India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna
Monday said the bilateral meeting cannot be ruled out.
"I am not ruling it out," Krishna said when asked if
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet his Pakistani
counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani during his visit here for the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
summit to be held on April 28 to 29.
Observing that heads of states and governments are going
to be under the same roof for the next couple of days for the
multilateral meeting, the minister said there will be a number
of bilateral meetings during the period.
"Lets wait and watch, how things are going to work out,"
he said, adding "all bilateral issues between India and
Pakistan will be discussed as and when the Prime Ministers
meet".
Asked about Pakistan's request seeking the testimony of
the Indian magistrates who recorded the confessional statement
of Mumbai attack accused Ajmal Kasab, Krishna said he was yet
to examine the matter.
Krishna said he has received the dossier containing the
request late Sunday night but he was yet to go through the
same.
Maintaining that Kasab's trial was in advanced stage in
India, he said it was going on in full steam.
"We have to complete our legal formalities first and then
we can examine Pakistan's request for the same," he said,
adding, the matter will be examined in consultation with other
ministries and departments.
The Pakistani side has made a request for three Indian
officials, including two magistrates and an investigator, to
be allowed to travel to Pakistan to testify that they had
recorded Kasab's statement.
A special court in Mumbai hearing the case of Kasab, the
lone gunman captured alive by Indian authorities after the
Mumbai siege of 2008, is expected to deliver its verdict on
May 3.
Krishna arrived here for the 16th SAARC summit to be held
on Thursday and Friday. PTI PYK
MRD


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