Khurshid for conducive atmosphere ahead of Manmohan-Sharif talks

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday conveyed to Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs and National Security, that a possible meeting between the Prime Ministers of the two sides in New York on the margins of UNGA will require a conducive atmosphere.

Khurshid, who met Aziz, on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State Summit here, discussed the ground realities and the need to factor the sensitivities into taking the engagement forward between the two Asian neighbours forward.

"I met Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security, informally on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State Summit in Bishkek today.We discussed the ground realities and the need to factor our sensitivities in to taking our engagement forward," said Khurshid on his informal meeting with Aziz.

"I discussed justice for Mumbai attack victims. Mr. Sartaj Aziz conveyed that a prosecutor had been appointed and the visit of the Judicial Commission to India was scheduled on 23rd September. We welcomed that step," he added.

Khurshid further said that the two also discussed the imperative of maintaining ceasefire along the LoC by making the existing mechanisms more effective.

"I conveyed to him that a possible meeting between the Prime Ministers in New York, on the margins of UNGA, will require a conducive atmosphere and delivery for it to materialize. This is a position reiterated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," he said.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had earlier last week categorically said that he would be in a position to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif only after Islamabad addresses New Delhi's concerns on "unacceptable" incidents that have taken place in the recent past.

"I have always maintained that we can choose our friends, but we have no choice with regard to our neighbours. And, therefore, under normal conditions, I would be happy to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whom I respect, who has said the right things about how relations between our two countries should evolve. But, there are certain harsh realities on the ground," said Dr. Singh on Saturday, when asked that the possibility of a meeting between him and his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York has been a matter of intense speculation.

"If the terror acts do not stop; if those who voice terrorist thoughts move about freely; if there is no significant progress in bringing the culprits of the Mumbai massacre to book; - that I have to factor in before arriving at a final decision," he added, while returning home from the G20 Summit in St. Petersburg.

"We are keeping quiet on this and watching. I realise that the time is coming for the New York visit. So, obviously a call will be taken by the Prime Minister at an appropriate stage. But we will not hasten it, as we do not want to jump the gun," Khurshid said.

"I think when some major significant thing goes wrong, many things still remain right but you cannot neglect the major thing that has gone wrong. Decision has to be in the interest of the nation," he added.

While India has appreciated Sharif's regret for the 'loss of precious lives' in the August 6 LoC ceasefire violation, which saw five Indian soldiers dead, New Delhi has insisted that Islamabad must take responsibility for the incident as the ambush would not have been possible without help from Pakistani agencies.