Sartaz Aziz meets PM

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the two are understood to have talked about bilateral relations. Officials described it as a courtesy call by Aziz on the Prime Minister. Aziz, who is here to attend the 11th Asia-Europe Foreign Minister (ASEM) conference, had yesterday met External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

During the meeting between Khurshid and Aziz on the margins of the ASEM meet, India told Pakistan that its "sentiments and sensitivities" have to be respected for meaningful dialogue. The two stressed the need for their DGMOs to meet at an early date and discuss ways to retain peace and tranquillity along the Line of Control.

India also pressed Pakistan for expeditious trial in Mumbai terror attack cases, telling Aziz that India has provided Pakistan with all evidence it has asked for.

Ahead of the meeting, Khurshid had said there have been events in the recent times that are not seen by the government or by anybody in India as encouraging, an apparent reference to ceasefire violations along the LoC in which many Indian soldiers have been killed.

Asked about Aziz's meeting with Hurriyat and other separatist leaders immediately after arriving for ASEM meet, Khurshid had said, "I must say it is important that what we say and what we do, we have to carefully watch. Sparking off a controversy, Aziz had met leaders of various Kashmiri separatist groups of Hurriyat Conference immediately after his arrival for ASEM ministerial meeting. It was seen by the Government as "extremely unfortunate" misuse of a multilateral forum for partisan ends.