The prime ministers of India and Pakistan may have 'a brief encounter' in Washington on the sidelines of the April 12-13 Nuclear Security Summit, though proper talks between them are more likely during a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation meet in Bhutan in April, a media report said on Saturday. The United States administration would prefer to arrange a proper meeting between the two prime ministers on the margins of the nuclear summit next week.
In the midst of current chill in Indo-Pak relations, a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation home ministers' conference is scheduled next month in Islamabad to which Union Home Minister P Chidambaram plans to go subject to Foreign Office's approval.
On the first day of the three-day SAARC Home Ministers' meet, the police chiefs of these countries agreed on sharing information among police organisations to check various trans-border crimes, Home Ministry sources said. They said the delegates spoke of the need for having a better institutional mechanism so that coordinated action could be taken to meet the common challenges.
Terming terrorism as a phenomenon that affects many regions including South Asia, Southeast Asia, West East, America and Europe, he said it has many layers at the domestic and international level.
The two day meeting from May 31 will review the status of India's relations with these countries.
Afghanistan's bonds with India were deeper and closer than those with any of the countries with which it shared a border, and there were no exceptions.
Musharraf attended the SAARC summit in 2002 at Kathmandu where he grabbed headlines with his famous handshake with the then Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee in a bid to reduce the mounting military tensions.
The leaders also adopted the Islamabad Declaration for the SAARC summit.
The prime minister will arrive in Islamabad on Saturday to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit.
Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed on Tuesday met Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan to discuss bilateral and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation matters.
In the first ministerial visit from India to Pakistan since the terror strike on Mumbai, Home Minister P Chidambaram will travel to Islamabad on Friday on a two-day trip, during which he is expected to press for a probe against Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Saeed and seek voice samples of the handlers of the 26/11 terrorists.Chidambaram is visiting Pakistan to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Interior Minister's Conference on Saturday.
'Victims of terrorism do not sit together with its perpetrators to discuss terrorism.'
Under the shadow of the serial blasts in India, foreign ministers of the eight-member South Asian association for Regional Cooperation met on Thursday in Colombo to set the agenda for the weekend summit aimed at boosting trade ties and combating the food and energy crisis.
The arrest of Madhuri Gupta, a diplomat working in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, on charges of spying will have an impact on the mood of the ongoing South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Thimphu because the matter is related to India's national security. Gupta, 53, a promotee officer of the ministry of external affairs, was arrested in New Delhi four days ago. Prasad refused to elaborate further on the issue. Gupta used to work as a translator.
SAARC countries are facing common challenges and they should cooperate with each other to address them, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, underlining that India is committed to reviving the grouping as a major forum to promote active regional collaboration.
Vajpayee had, on Sunday, asserted that he would consider attending the SAARC summit if Pakistan completely stopped cross-border terrorism before the event. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Addressing a public meeting in Mahore town of Reasi district on Sunday, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party patron said: "Jammu and Kashmir should become a model among the SAARC countries by allowing both Indian and Pakistani currency to operate in the state." Mufti defended his proposal by quoting the example of European Union, where he said "free travel was possible among 40 countries without any visa restrictions."
Dhaka is not in favour of full membership to Afghanistan and instead supports observer status to it, informed sources said.
The summit will be held in the picturesque city of Kandy, with Colombo planning 'foolproof' security arrangements to ward off any attack from the LTTE as it battles the rebel forces in the north.
India's envoy to Austria, Sheel Kant Sharma, will be next secretary general of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced on Friday.
The government is working for the success of the Indo-US nuclear deal mechanism to address the concerns raised by the Left parties, Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said on Saturday.
This is apparently keeping in view the developments in Nepal where King Gyanendra has assumed all executive powers after dismissing the Sher Bahadur Dueba-led coalition government.
There would be 'no adverse impact' on Air-India and Indian Airlines if private carriers are allowed to operate to foreign destinations, said the civil aviation minister.
The Pakistan prime minister will be on a visit to India in his capacity as the SAARC chairman.
The national capital, which will host the summit on April 3 and 4, will be dotted by crack commandos of Delhi Police and the paramilitary forces.
The India-Pakistan thaw has resulted in major trade gains for both the countries.
Volcker said while some countries responded well to his findings, many others, particularly smaller nations, have not taken steps to deal with corruption.
Afghanistan became a SAARC member in 2006.
His Pakistani counterpart Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali received him at the airport.
'We want to give our undivided attention and energy to the success of SAARC,' he said.
Islamabad will be sealed off completely from Tuesday with army helicopters making surveillance sorties and 4,000 policemen keeping vigil.
'Obviously, there will be occasions when leaders will get together during the conference and at the retreat. So those occasions will be there,' Foreign Secretary Shashank said.
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