Qureshi backtracks some more on SMK

After making critical comments on his talks with the external affairs minister, Mr S.M. Krishna, the Pakistan foreign minister, Mr Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on Sunday said he never stated that his Indian counterpart was on the phone with New Delhi during their parleys on Thursday.

“I had never said that the Indian external minister repeatedly went out during meetings to receive instructions from Delhi,” Mr Qureshi told reporters at the foreign office last night after addressing a joint news conference with the visiting British minister, Sayeeda Warsi.

He said that whenever he and Mr Krishna agreed on any issue during their talks on Thursday, a member of the Indian delegation would leave the room to confer with New Delhi and seek instructions.

The Indian delegate, who left the room, would then return and convey a message to Krishna, he said. He however, added that Mr Krishna visited Pakistan with limited powers. To another question, Mr Qureshi said he cannot visit Delhi unless assured of “meaningful” talks.

“I will undertake a visit to India only if I am assured that the neighbouring country (India) has the intention to hold a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue, otherwise I am not really fond of taking a tourist trip,” he said.