A meeting between external affairs minister Jaswant Singh and Pakistan foreign minister Abdul Sattar appears likely, but there is no chance of summit level talks between the two countries in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session. ``That position is still not clear,`` foreign secretary Chokila Iyer told newsmen on Friday, adding that the ``process of dialogue remains there``.
She, however, ruled out a meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf in New York. “The Prime Minister has made his position clear on this issue,`` she said.
Vajpayee had stated a few days ago that it is not necessary for him to go to New York to meet Gen Musharraf. ``If I have to meet him, I can see him in Islamabad or New Delhi,`` Vajpayee made these observation after his meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder early this week.
Referring to meeting between the two leaders during the SAARC summit in Kathmandu, the foreign secretary said ,``Vajpayee and Gen Musharraf will be there like other leaders of the grouping.`` It is expected that the two leaders will meet during the SAARC summit, which is expected to take place in January.
Bureau Report