Modi, Sharif may meet in Washington: Sartaj Aziz

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi here later this month on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit, a top aide to Pakistan Premier said today.

“There are chances of meeting between the two (prime ministers),” Sartaj Aziz, the Foreign Affairs Advisor to Sharif, told PTI.

“There are possibilities, when they are here (in Washington DC). They would interact with each other. Whether there would be a structured meeting I do not know. Depends on…Chances are there (for a meeting),” Aziz said.

The top Pakistani diplomat is in Washington to attend the sixth US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue which he co-chaired with Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday.

Aziz said Sharif would be travelling to Washington to attend the Nuclear Security Summit at the invitation of US President Barack Obama.

Modi too has been invited to the Summit on March 31 and April 1.

No official announcement has been made yet.

Responding to a question on the status of India-Pak relationship after Modi came to power in May 2014, Aziz said in the first year the situation was “not good”.

“But the last two months are better,” Aziz said.

Ahead of the Modi-Sharif meeting, Aziz said there is likelihood of a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries.

The timing of which has not been decided yet, he noted.

“We do not know (when foreign secretaries would meet). He (Indian Foreign Secretary) has to come to Islamabad first. We are hoping that now,” Aziz said after the breakfast meeting with Defence Writers Group here.