Sushma Swaraj meets Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz at SAARC summit, Modi-Sharif talks not confirmed

Kathmandu: India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the ongoing SAARC summit on Thursday.

The two ministers spoke to each other for a brief while during the summit. Speaking to media, Swaraj said, “I met him out of courtesy”.

Earlier, on Monday India did not rule out a possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Nepal.

Sushma Swaraj, who arrived on Monday to attend the 18th SAARC Summit, said she was happy to be in Nepal in just three and half months after her first bilateral visit to the country in July.

I met him out of courtesy: Sushma Swaraj (EAM) on meeting Pak NSA Sartaj Aziz in Kathmandu pic.twitter.com/NpI5S9jAFn

— ANI (@ANI_news) November 25, 2014

In New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin remained non-committal, saying, "The Prime Minister's intention is to have meaningful dialogue with as many of our South Asian colleagues as possible. This would mean taking into account all aspects of our relationship."

Akbaruddin said that it was a "work in progress" in terms of scheduling, other leaders' priorities and India's intent on having meaningful dialogue.

Sharif had attended Modi's swearing in ceremony in May and held bilateral talks but the two leaders have not met since then.

India in August called off foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan after Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatists.

No comments: Pak NSA Sartaj Aziz on being asked if there will be talks between India and Pakistan pic.twitter.com/nRaAyzeemv

— ANI (@ANI_news) November 25, 2014