Gilani-Singh encounter 'crucial: India

SHARM EL-SHEIKH (Reuters) - Indias Minister for External Affairs SM Krishna described Thursdays planned meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Sing and his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilan, on the sidelines of a Non-Aligned Movement summit in Egypts resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, as crucial. Speaking in Sharm el-Sheikh, Krishna declined to elaborate on what his prime minister, Manmohan Singh, would discuss with Gilani. Let us wait for the outcome of that crucial meeting, Krishna told reporters. India claims that the Mumbai assault, carried out by gunmen from Pakistan, must have had help from Pakistani security agents. Islamabad has denied any involvement by state agencies and says it will prosecute people suspected of involvement. The meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh will be the third high-level bilateral talks since the bloodshed in Mumbai. Singh met President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia last month, and the foreign ministers met recently in Italy. Our Monitoring Desk adds: Krishna said India would like a visible response from Pakistan whose commitment is to bring to justice the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks and the earlier attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, reports The Times of India and Doordarshan news channel. I think Pakistan should give us an undertaking that they will not let their soil to be used for terrorist activities directed against India, he said. According to Doordarshan, the Minister Though the Indian side is entering the talks with Pakistan on a note of caution, it is not pre-judging Pakistans intention. The sources said India has taken note of President Asif Ali Zardaris willingness to discuss the issue of terrorism during his talks with Singh in Russia last month. New Delhi has also acknowledged that Pakistan has taken some steps in this direction. But what they amount to, we have to see, they said. While India has made it clear that Pakistan should take steps to dismantle terror infrastructure and stop terror acts directed against it, New Delhi feels laying down deadlines, markers for this purpose is not pragmatic. The Indian side feels it is premature at this stage to speculate on resumption of the peace process, stalled since the Mumbai attacks. The Indian side is of the view that at this stage it can neither say yes or no to starting the Composite Dialogue with Pakistan.

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