Manmohan-Musharraf may meet at UN

Islamabad: A meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled for next month, 'cannot be ruled out', Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri said on Wednesday.

"One cannot clap with one hand. If India wishes, it (the meeting) would be possible," Kasuri told reporters after his speech on the 'Ballistic Missiles and South Asian Security' at a seminar.

There has been speculation in the media in Islamabad over the likelihood of meetings between Singh and General Musharraf as the two leaders are expected to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Havana and the UNGA.

General Musharraf's decision to attend both meetings has been officially confirmed. Last year, the two leaders met in New York on the sidelines of UNGA.

In reply to a question about India's decision to postpone the Foreign Secretary-level talks last month, Kasuri said Pakistan understands India's "compulsions following the Mumbai bomb blasts," but at the same it was not correct to hurl accusations, he said.

Kasuri said people of both countries want peace but there were 'elements' who want to 'sabotage' the dialogue process.

Pakistan is serious in continuing the dialogue with India to resolve contentious issues, he said.

"We feel there are strong peace constituencies in both Pakistan and India and it is in the interests of both the countries to continue with the peace process," he said.

"The governments of India and Pakistan realise that they are not doing each other a favour by talking to each other. We do in the interest of both the countries and in the interest of peace and economic development," Kasuri said.

Addressing the seminar, he said Pakistan has proposed to India to avoid acquisition of Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABM) systems as Islamabad perceived that their introduction would have 'destabilising' effect and lead to a new arms race.

"The non-acquisition or deployment of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems in South Asia constitutes one of the elements of our proposal," Kasuri told the seminar.