Manmohan welcomes talks with Pak, hopes they means business

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday welcomed move to revive talks between India and Pakistan but hoped that Islamabad "means business."

"That the two countries are talking to each other is a good thing," he told PTI on the sidelines of an iftaar hosted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi here.

Singh hoped that Pakistan "means business" in holding talks with India.

"Well, I hope Pakistan means business," he said.

Responding to a question on Pakistan High Commission here inviting separatist leaders from Kashmir for Eid celebrations, Singh said he "cannot say one way or the other what attitude they will adopt in dealing with Hurriyat.

"Today ...Pakistan has invited Hurriyat. Earlier they had cancelled it," he said.

Earlier, the High Commission had scheduled the invite for July 4 but later postponed to July 21.

While Pakistani officials maintain that it was postponed due to deaths in Karachi but the move was seen here by many as an attempt to derail talks between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif in Russian city of Ufa.

Asked whether there is any option other than holding talks, the former Prime Minister said "I agree with you. We have to talk to each other."