Ufa, Russia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted an invitation Friday from his counterpart Nawaz Sharif to attend a regional summit in Islamabad next year in what would be his first visit to Pakistan.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated his invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Pakistan for the SAARC Summit in 2016. Prime Minister Modi accepted that invitation,” said a joint statement from the governments after the two leaders met in Russia. The statement was read out by India’s S. Jaishankar and Aizaz Chaudhry of Pakistan .
“The meeting between India and Pakistan prime ministers was held in a cordial atmosphere,” said Aizaz Chaudhry, Pakistan foreign secretary. “Both countries are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues. They have condemned terrorism in all its forms,” he added.
Indian officials had previously refused to confirm Modi’s participation at the next summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), usually attended by leaders of eight countries in the region.
While Sharif did attend Modi’s inauguration in May last year, the Indian premier has not visited Pakistan since coming to power and relations between the two governments have been cool in recent months.
India has been particularly infuriated by delays in legal proceedings against the suspected mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai bombings who it wants extradited.
In the statement, the two governments said they would “discuss ways and means” to expedite the legal process, including the sharing of voice samples.
They also announced that their respective national security advisors would meet in New Delhi to discuss “terrorism” although they did not set a date for the talks.
And officials responsible for security on both sides of their sometimes volatile border would also meet soon, according to the statement which was read out to reporters in Russia by the two countries’ foreign secretaries.
Modi and Sharif met while attending a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation rganisation which is being held in the Russian city of Ufa.
“The two sides have also decided to release within 15 days fishermen in each other’s custody and their boats,” S. Jaishankar added.
Earlier, Narendra Modi was warmly received by his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif before their much-anticipated meeting here on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. The two leaders shook hands and posed for photographers before settling down for delegation-level talks.
Indian delegation included National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar while Sartaj Aziz, Sharif’s advisor on foreign affairs and national security, was in the Pakistani delegation.
Setting the tone for the meeting, Modi and Sharif last night exchanged pleasantries and chatted briefly when they came face-to-face at a dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin for leaders of five BRICS countries and 10 SCO nations here.
The two leaders, who are here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, are expected to discuss the status of the bilateral ties and the future direction.
Modi and Sharif were last together in Kathmandu in November last for the SAARC Summit but they did not have a bilateral meeting because of acrimony between the two countries at that time.
