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Indian, Pakistani Leaders Meeting Seen as a Positive Step

   VOA News 29 April 2010
   Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (L) and his Pakistani counterpart
   Yousuf  Raza  Gilani  shake  hands  prior  to  bilateral  talks on the
   sidelines  of  the  eight-nation  South Asian Association for Regional
   Co-operation (SAARC) summit in Thimphu, Bhutan, 29 Ap

Photo: AFP

   Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (L) and his Pakistani counterpart
   Yousuf  Raza  Gilani  shake  hands  prior  to  bilateral  talks on the
   sidelines  of  the  eight-nation  South Asian Association for Regional
   Co-operation (SAARC) summit in Thimphu, Bhutan, 29 Apr 2010

   The  prime ministers of rivals India and Pakistan have met Thursday in
   Bhutan's capital, Thimphu, on the sidelines of a summit of South Asian
   leaders.
   The  anticipated  meeting  between  Manmohan  Singh  and his Pakistani
   counterpart  Yousuf  Raza  Gilani  comes  on the second day of  SAARC
   summit.   Although  observers  say  a  breakthrough  is unlikely, the
   meeting  is  seen as a positive step to avoid further deterioration in
   diplomatic relations between the two neighbor nuclear-powers.
   Ties have been strained since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, which
   India  blames  on  Pakistan-based  militants.   This was the leaders'
   first formal encounter in nine months.
   However,  Mr.  Singh  and  Mr.  Gilani  shared  an  informal moment on
   Wednesday,  at the request of the other SAARC leaders.  They prompted
   Mr. Singh and Mr. Gilani to take a walk together.
   Earlier, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Tuesday
   that  Pakistan  was  ready  to  restart  the  process of comprehensive
   dialogue between the two countries.
   But efforts to restart dialogue may have been hampered by the recently
   announced arrest of an Indian diplomat accused of spying for Pakistan.
   India  and  Pakistan  have  fought three wars since their independence
   from British rule in 1947.

   Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.

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