On board PM's Aircraft Cautious to avoid any controversy ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs first meeting with his new Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York,the government Wednesday downplayed expectations and asserted the PM will raise contentious issues such as the violence on the LoC. In the backdrop of a strong political demand to call off the meeting after five Indian soldiers were killed last month,government sources said it is important to talk about problems given the positive approach Sharif has showed. You make peace with enemies. You dont make peace with friends. So,we will talk about all issues, they said. The two leaders will discuss the overall state of the relationship,the issue of increased violence along the LoC,terrorism and even trade where Islamabad has to take important steps,they added. The sources said a Pakistani technical team is expected next week to discuss the feasibility of buying power from India. Also,India is willing to consider Pakistans interest in picking up gas from the border on a commercial basis after a planned network of pipelines is extended further into Punjab. However,they said there are no plans yet for a visit by Sharif to India even though he had been invited. Currently,the Indian side seems keen to find a way to address issues that have reduced space for any constructive dialogue and progress in the 26/11 trial is seen as crucial in this context. On the meeting with US President Barack Obama on Friday,sources said the pre-early works agreement between NPCIL and Westinghouse would be signed in the next couple of days for the Mithivirdi nuclear power project. The two will also sign a confidentiality agreement to enable regulators on both sides to get access to details. The government sought to downplay recent controversies around this agreement with sources saying the document had been routed through the Atomic Energy Commission before being brought to the CCS. The key concern remains the ambiguity over Indias nuclear liability law. Asked whether these issues have generated a sense of disappointment in the United States over relations with India,sources said these may be negotiating tactics. For us also,what was this about? We needed cheap and clean nuclear power which we could not build because we didnt have uranium, they said. As for Singhs other crucial meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,sources said the Prime Minister will underline Indias commitment to the land boundary agreement. They added the government will table it in Parliament at the start of the winter session. PM speaks to merkel Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel Wednesday and congratulated her on her election victory. Singh called Merkel from Frankfurt where he stopped on his way to the US for the UNGA meeting.
