Krishna, Qureshi have 'chance encounter' at UN

Both ministers greeted each other warmly and made inquiries about their stay in New York so far, a senior Indian diplomat told PTI.

Krishna then asked Qureshi about the flood situation in Pakistan and the how the relief efforts were coming along. Qureshi, in turn, spoke about the steps his government was taking and also thanked India for its aid of USD 20 million routed through the UN.

The diplomat described it as a "chance encounter," and noted that a more substantive meeting was still in the works but could not confirm when this meeting will take place.
Krishna was coming out of the UN headquarters after a meeting with British Secretary of State William Hague, the diplomat said, and Qureshi appeared to have come out of the General Assembly Hall.

This week, Qureshi has raised the issue of Kashmir in New York, noting that resolving Kashmir was central to peace in the region and called for US intervention.
"The occupation cannot continue," Qureshi said on Tuesday, while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York based think tank. "The rights of the Kashmiri people cannot continue to be denied."

"We call upon the United States particularly, which is pressing so responsibly for peace in the Middle East, to also invest its political capital in trying to help seek an accommodation for Kashmir," he added.

India has consistently maintained that Kashmir is an internal matter and has firmly opposed any third party mediation.Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, which also met in New York, has asked India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue, saying a peaceful settlement of the dispute would serve not only the people of the two counties but also the overall interests of the region.

Krishna and Qureshi are here to attend the opening week of the General Assembly. Krishna is here till the 29th and Qureshi is here till the 30th.