Manmohan Singh tells Gilani, will visit Pakistan if concrete development takes place

On board Air India One, Mar 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has told his Pakistani counter Prime Minister Yuusuf Raza Gilani that he will visit Pakistan only when some solid and concrete development takes place.

Addressing mediapersons on board Air India One after attending the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Singh said that Pakistan Prime Minister Yuusuf Raza Gilani has invited him to visit Pakistan.

"Prime Minister Gilani said please come to Pakistan, I said after some solid and concrete development," said Dr. Singh.

Adding to the PM's statement, Foreign Secretary Rajan Mathai said that Prime Minister Gilani was keen on Dr. Singh to visit Pakistan.

"Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that he was very keen that Prime Minister Singh should visit Pakistan, prime minister replied in principle he was in favor of such a idea but it should be based on some solid development there should be some major outcome," said Mathai.

Mathai further that Prime Minister Singh appreciated the trade talks between the two countries moving in forward direction, particularly the action taken in completion of the negative list by Pakistan.

"Prime Minister Singh expressed appreciation on the fact that discussions relating to trade had in fact moved forward as have been committed by the Pakistani prime minister and action specifically on the negative list had been completed.

"Pakistan prime minister recalled it was indeed his intention and his commitment to go ahead in improving trade relations between the two countries and the negative list was the manifestation of that step he had taken said it had not been entirely easy there were some differences but finally government of Pakistan decided to move ahead," he said.

Mathai also added that Prime Minister Singh congratulated Gilani on giving India the Most Favoured Nation status.

"Prime Minister Singh congratulated Gilani and he appreciated his efforts on MFN very much. The two Prime Ministers then spoke about taking forward discussions in other areas in our bilateral relations," added Mathai.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yuusuf Raza Gilani had earlier expressed their desire to intensify the bilateral dialogue process for further engagements during their informal meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea.

This was the first meeting between the two leaders since they met in the idyllic Addu resort in the Maldives where they had vowed to script "a new chapter" in their bilateral ties. (ANI)