At the SCO summit on Friday, the leaders are expected to agree on the accession procedure for India and Pakistan what will give the organization a non-official and alternative status of an association of the “big eight” countries.
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The joint statement said: “The two leaders exchanged views on issues of bilateral and regional interest”.
Indian External Affairs Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that the two countries have also agreed to hold a meeting in New Delhi to discuss matters pertaining to elimination of terrorism.
Sharif and Modi also pledged enhanced cooperation between security forces at the India-Pakistan border, where violent clashes between troops are a frequent occurrence, and the release of hundreds of fishermen from both countries – imprisoned for straying into the other’s global waters – within 15 days.
Mechanism for facilitating religious tourism.
Both sides agreed today to find ways to expedite the Mumbai case, Mr Chaudhry said.
The summit of the six-member bloc comprising of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is now being held at the Russian city of Ufa along with the BRICS summit.
Modi and Sharif first met in May a year ago (pictured above) when the Pakistani leader attended Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.
Ufa (Russia), July 10 (IANS): India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to expedite the Mumbai terror attack trial.
However, Indian government sources told Economic Times that Modi-Sharif talks need not be construed a prelude to a resumption of the dialogue process between the two countries.
Modi accepted Sharif’s invitation to visit Pakistan for the SAARC summit next year. The two had exchanged gifts, the sari-shawl diplomacy, and tweets, which had given rise to hope of improvement in ties between the two rivals, both nuclear powers.
While analysts warned major obstacles still lay in the way of significant progress, a joint statement said both leaders recognised their “collective responsibility to ensure peace and promote development”.
Khalilullah said “all important issues would come under discussion”.
Along with other significant leaders, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and advisor to PM on National Security Sartaj Aziz were also present at the meeting. Prime Minister Modi accepted the invitation.
“They have condemned terrorism is all its forms”, he added.
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According to reviews, Prime Minister Modi will, through the talks, strongly increase India’s considerations on terror and the discharge of Lakhavi with Pakistan.
