Omar wants India-Pak issues to be resolved

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that he wanted issues between India and Pakistan to be resolved at the earliest.

"We have always been in favour of talks. Now, whether talks (between Modi and Sharif) will happen or not, that can only be decided by the Prime Ministers of both nations," said Abdullah.

"If asked, people of Jammu and Kashmir have always wanted the talks to take place, and also, want an end to the cross border terrorism and ceasefire," he added.

According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not likely to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for a bilateral meeting on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the 18th annual South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit.

After the inaugural session of the Summit, Prime Minister Modi will have structured meetings with the heads of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives. However, no meeting of him has been scheduled with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, reports say.

Meanwhile, India's Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj, earlier on Tuesday, greeted Pakistan National Security Advisor, Sartaj Aziz, out of 'basic courtesy' at the 36th SAARC council of ministers meet in Nepal.

"I met Sartaj Aziz out of basic courtesy. Whenever you meet somebody at an international forum it is obvious that you greet each other and that is what has happened," Swaraj said.

However, Aziz said, "no comments," when reporters asked questions on bilateral talks between the two nations.

The two-day Summit, with a 'Deeper Regional Integration for Peace and Prosperity' theme, will focus on a number of crucial issues including improving transport connectivity among the member states to ensure greater flow of goods and services for boosting trade and commerce.

Issues related to defence and security will also be discussed, and during the summit all the heads of the government will make their policy statements.

Earlier on Sunday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had said that India is for 'cooperative and peaceful ties' with Pakistan.

Akbaruddin had said that Prime Minister Modi is keen 'to have meaningful dialogues with as many south Asian colleagues as possible'.

The Indian Government had earlier in August cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks after Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatists ahead of the proposed meeting.