India, Pak PMs may meet on Seoul nuke security summit sidelines

Seoul, Mar.25 (ANI): The Prime Ministers' of India and Pakistan could meet on the sidelines of the nuclear security summit being held here from Monday, though sources are saying that there is still no finality on the event taking place.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is arriving in Seoul on Sunday evening and is expected to hold discussions with U.S. President Barack Obama.

Sources said as of now there was no finalisation of a structured meeting between Gilani and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but added that a pull aside meeting was possible.

When media asked Pakistan's Ambassador to South Korea Shaukat Mukadam about the possible meeting at the Blue House, the official residence of South Korean president Lee Myung-bak, he replied: "No structured meeting is planned, but a pull aside is always possible. He has a very tight schedule. They could meet in the Readers Lounge."

At the two-day nuclear summit beginning Monday, India will apprise participants about the measures it has taken in the aftermath of last year's nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, including steps to make its nuclear installations safer.

New Delhi may also raise concerns over a looming nuclear terrorism threat, mainly from Pakistan.

Prime Minister Gilani is likely to pitch for access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, Ambassador Mukadam told reporters here.

"We are facing power shortage and fossil fuel problems. We hope other countries would help us," Mukadam said.

Mukadam also allayed New Delhi's fears over an "insider threat" compromising the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.

He said Pakistan has the best facilities and the best command and control systems.

"There should be no fear absolutely. Everything has been revisited after the Fukushima incident," he added. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)