India on Saturday rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's offer to meet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Kathmandu early next month on the sidelines of the SAARC summit, saying the outlook for a dialogue was not promising. ''India has always advocated dialogue with Pakistan. But under the circumstances until Pakistan creates a conducive climate by acting resolutely and meaningfully against terrorism, the outlook for such dialogue cannot be promising,'' official sources said.
Close on the heels of the tit-for-tat diplomatic sanctions by the two countries, Musharraf had told reporters on Friday I don't mind meeting him (Vajpayee). But as I said once before, you can't clap with one hand. And if there is a willingness from the other side, then there is a willingness from my side, Musharraf had said. Asked about the prospects of a meeting between External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Abdul Sattar in Kathmandu, the sources said ''nothing is planned as of now''.
Bureau Report