Why make a mountain out of a mole hill on Modi-Sharif meeting, asks Jay Panda

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Jay Panda on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the recent Paris Climate Summit was nothing but a mountain being made out of a mole hill.

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"I think this is making a mountain out of the mole hill. When there are so many leaders of different countries in Paris for a global issue, it is inevitable that they will cross each other's path. So, irrespective of who shook whose hand, first, these are basic courtesies that should be maintained," Panda told ANI here.

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He further added that as far as talks between India and Pakistan are concerned, India is interested in having peaceful and friendly ties with its neighbour.

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"I think that the government stand that the support given to cross-border terrorism from across the LoC must stop is a reasonable requirement," he added.

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Prime Minister Modi shook hands, sat with and talked to Sharif for a few minutes on Monday in Paris on the sidelines 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP21).

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The conversation was held without any delegates from either country being around. Both were seen talking to each other and listening to each other's points of view.

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The meeting was described as an act of diplomatic courtesy.