PM to meet Zardari during Russia summit

Asked what Singh and Zardari will discuss,he said,“I don’t want to guess what they will discuss.”

Singh’s meeting,if it happens,will be the first top-level contact between India and Pakistan after talks were suspended in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks.

Singh will be travelling to Yekaterinburg in Russia on June 15 for a three-day visit during which he will attend the SCO meet and the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) Summit. Zardari will also be in the Russian city for the SCO Summit as Pakistan,like India,is an observer in the grouping.

Menon,however,said there would be no resumption of talks until Islamabad takes tangible action against terrorists. “There can be nothing more authoritative than what the Prime Minister said on the floor of the House,” Menon replied when asked whether the meeting between the two leaders would lead to the resumption of talks.

As a sign of India’s willingness to engage with Pakistan,Singh had told Parliament in a policy speech on June 9 that India was willing to meet Pakistan “more than half way” if the Pakistani leadership takes strong action to prevent terrorism directed against India.

Menon added,“We are in constant touch with each other,we have our High Commission there,they have their High commission here. Both watch each other’s statements very carefully.”

He said it has been clear that Pakistan wants to restart the dialogue,but India has been of the view that it’s necessary that “certain steps” are taken to dismantle the terror infrastructure before talks are resumed.

India,along with Pakistan,Iran and Mongolia,is an observer at SCO,a security grouping where Russia and China run the show with a supporting chorus of Central Asian republics,including Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan,Kyrgzstan and Tajikistan.

This will be the first SCO summit in which an Indian Prime Minister will be participating,Menon said.

The SCO had relaxed rules for the participation of observers at its last summit in Dushanbe,Tajikistan where it was decided that the leaders of observer countries could participate in the restricted discussions and share the same table with the leaders of SCO members.