JOIN USModi-Sharif meet had its lighter moments: Sources
Though their meeting generated strong reaction in the diplomatic and political circles, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at Ufa in Russia last week had its lighter moments.
Sharif started the July 11 meeting by cracking jokes on himself over which both the premiers had a hearty laugh, said sources in New Delhi.
Sharif had asked Modi how his visits to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan went before he reached Russia and the latter said he was amazed to see the connectivity projects the Central Asian nations are working on.
The two then discussed how their countries could work together to enhance similar connectivity in South Asia and also link with Central and Southeast Asia.
Modi also conveyed to Sharif India’s anguish over the recent release of Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, the plotter of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and the tardy trial of six other Lashkar-e-Tayyiba operatives incarcerated in Pakistan.
Sharif apparently agreed with Modi that unless New Delhi’s concerns over cross-border terror were not adequately addressed, it would be difficult to create an atmosphere in India conducive for substantial talks with Pakistan, sources said.
Sharif also proposed to have a bilateral mechanism for facilitating religious tourism and Modi welcomed the proposal, sources added.
Modi, on his part, sought early release of fishermen held in each other's custody. Sharif agreed and the duo decided that fishermen should be released within 15 days of their detention along with their boats.
Modi’s proposal that Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry jointly brief mediapersons about the meeting was also accepted by Sharif. Jaishankar and Chaudhry later presented a statement, which sources in New Delhi called a “considered, honest, accurate and reasonable summary of the substance” of the meeting.
The meeting between the two PMs at Ufa came just weeks after Sharif accused India’s political leadership of making irresponsible and imprudent statements. The Senate and National Assembly of Pakistan too passed resolutions condemning “provocative and hostile” statements from New Delhi and accused the latter of having an “hegemonic mindset”.
Sharif’s statement was apparently in response to Modi’s remarks made in Bangladesh last month.
Modi had accused Pakistan of disturbing India “every now and then”, creating “nuisance and promoting terrorism”. He had also referred to the 1971 war that had led to secession of the erstwhile East Pakistan. He had mentioned that 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war had been in India’s custody of India following the war.
Islamabad also reacted to New Delhi’s indications that Indian Army’s reported raid inside Myanmar, targeting camps of insurgents operating in the Northeast, was also a message to Pakistan.
Modi, however, set the stage for the meeting at Ufa by calling Sharif on June 16 and wishing him for Ramzan.