Gujral, Sharif meet
Prime Minister I K Gujral and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif met in Kurumba village resort in Maldives on Monday
for one hour to find ways and means to address all
outstanding issues between the two countries.
According to official sources, the meeting was held in a cordial
atmosphere. They are scheduled to address a joint press conference at the disco floor of the Palm Bar in the village.
The three-day summit was inaugurated by the Maldivian
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom after it was formally opened by SAARC outgoing Chairman Gujral.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of the SAARC countries adopted
the summit draft declaration agreeing to intensify economic cooperation, fight terrorism and drug trafficking, take effective steps to eradicate poverty, promote tourism, protect environment and enhance the role of women in development.
Talking to reporters immediately after the meeting, Pakistan
Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said his country had opposed the
''growth quadrangle'' formed by India, Nepal, Bangladesh and
Bhutan within the SAARC, contending that it could weaken the
grouping.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Monday denied that any 1971 Indian war
prisoners were in Pakistan jails, but admitted that some Indian
fishermen were languishing in prisons in that country.
''If anyone says anything to the contrary, I am ready to
convince him,'' said Ayub Khan.
This is the first time Pakistan has categorically denied that it
was holding any Indian troops from the 1971 operations in jails.
UNI
EARLIER STORY:
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