Amid suspense over whether he will meet Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif later this month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he would have to factor in “certain harsh realities” like India being affected by terror before arriving at a “final decision” on meeting his Pakistani counterpart in New York.
Singh was talking to reporters on board a special Air India plane on his return home after attending the G20 summit in the Russian city of St Petersburg.
The Indian premier asserted that he would be happy to meet Sharif under “normal conditions” as he had respect for the Pakistani premier who had said the right things about how India-Pakistan relations should evolve.
“But there are certain harsh realities on the ground. If the terror acts do not stop, if those who voice terrorist thoughts move about freely, if there is no significant progress in bringing the culprits of the Mumbai massacre to book – that I have to factor in before arriving at a final decision,” he said.
He was asked about the possibility of meeting Sharif amid mounting speculation on this issue and a view in the country that he should avoid meeting his Pakistani counterpart. The BJP has voiced its opposition to any meeting between Singh and Sharif.
“I have always maintained that we can choose our friends, but we have no choice with regard to our neighbours,” he said.
