India agrees to meeting with Pakistan in Kyrgyzstan, likely to firm up New York meeting of PMs

India has agreed to meet Pakistan in Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek to discuss the way forward on bilateral issues of mutual concern to both countries, as also to probably firm up modalities for a possible meeting in New York between Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif.

A media report stated that the meeting between foreign minister Salman Khurshid and Prime Minister Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek on Friday, is also aimed at reducing the tension between the two countries over a series of recent ceasefire violations.

Relations between the two South Asian neighbours was further strained after the August 5 and 6 Line of Control incidents that claimed the lives of five Indian soldiers in Poonch district.

Bothe nations have been blaming each other for the ceasefire violations.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed his desire to meet his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said he will have to consider several factors affecting India being before arriving at a final decision on meeting his Pakistani counterpart.