The meeting of the Indian and Pakistan Prime Ministers in Thimphu, on the sidelines of the SAARC meeting, was almost informal. There was no specific agenda. What transpired in their 90-minute meet is anybody's guess. According to your report (May 1), Pakistan Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had listed Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, water-sharing and trade as the issues discussed in the past and maintained that those issues would be discussed in the future as well. On the most vital issue of terrorism, however, he gave an evasive reply, calling it a global concern. Is the decision that the Foreign Affairs Ministers and Secretaries of both countries to meet later a great achievement?
S. Sahasanju,
Chidambaram
This has reference to the editorial, “Ending the impasse” (May 1). Except agreeing for talks between the Foreign Affairs Ministers and Secretaries, Pakistan has not given any assurance of taking on the terrorist organisations based in its soil. Just a few days ago, a report of the National Centre for Counter Terrorism of the United States talked of Pakistan's continued nurturing of terrorist organisations planning attacks on Indian targets. At least in the upcoming meetings of Ministers and Secretaries, India must be able to get specific commitments from Pakistan on its demands.
T. Ramanand,
Cincinnati
