Ending weeks of suspense, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said on Friday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia on June 16 at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). “They will be at the same place at the same time....They will meet, they will shake hands,” Menon told reporters while briefing them on Singh’s visit to Russia.

Menon, however, said there was no request from Islamabad for a meeting between the two leaders. “They will meet, but we are not clear what sort of meeting it would be,” he said.

Asked what Singh and Zardari will discuss, he said, “I don’t want to guess what they will discuss.”

Singh’s meeting, if it happens, will be the first top-level contact between India and Pakistan after talks were suspended in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks.

Singh will be travelling to Yekaterinburg in Russia on June 15 for a three-day visit during which he will attend the SCO meet and the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) Summit. Zardari will also be in the Russian city for the SCO Summit as Pakistan, like India, is an observer in the grouping.

Menon, however, said there would be no resumption of talks until Islamabad takes tangible action against terrorists. “There can be nothing more authoritative than what the Prime Minister said on the floor of the House,” Menon replied when asked whether the meeting between the two leaders would lead to the resumption of talks.

As a sign of India’s willingness to engage with Pakistan, Singh had told Parliament in a policy speech on June 9 that India was willing to meet Pakistan “more than half way” if the Pakistani leadership takes strong action to prevent terrorism directed against India.

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