Click to play videoSharm-el-Sheikh: In a clear message to Pakistan less than 24 hours ahead of prime ministerial level talks, Manmohan Singh in his address at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit sent a strong message on terrorism.
Though Manmohan Singh was addressing the NAM Summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh but it was evident that the Indian Prime Minister had on his mind Thursday's talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani.
“Terrorists and those who aid and abet them must be brought to justice. The infrastructure of terrorism must be dismantled and there should be no safe havens for terrorists because they do not represent any cause, group or religion. It is time we agree on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism," Singh told leaders from 118 countries that comprise the NAM at the 15th summit of the movement in Sharm-el-Sheikh.
India is clearly hoping to pin Pakistan down to specific action against the Mumbai attackers and Pakistan is aware that it's treatment of Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed is a test case.
Gilani also made his stand clear although the reference to Kashmir was largely devoid of the customary Pakistani sting.
"Terrorism is a global phenomenon. Durable peace will be facilitated by the resolution of all outstanding disputes including Jammu and Kashmir. The peace dividend for 1.5 billion people of the subcontinent would be enormous," Gilani said in his address.
Behind the scenes the two foreign secretaries - India's Shivshankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir - are apparently making steady progress.
Menon and Bashir had another round of discussions on Wednesday over lunch and indications are that while terrorism will figure in the talks so will other issues including resumption of the Composite Dialogue.
"We were able to talk openly and frankly on all issues. It was more than terror. We talked about all issues, we talked about the bilateral relations. We want to have broad based engagements. We want to turn the corner in our relationship," Bashir told CNN-IBN.
The icing on the cake could be a joint statement after the two prime ministers meet, perhaps even a joint press conference.
But much will depend on how the talks between the two prime ministers go and if they are able to reach a consensus on the way forward.
India wants to focus on terror, 26/11 attackers and Saeed during the meeting. But both sides are still sticking to their positions.
India has been saying that it wants to talk about terror and make it the focus while Pakistan keeps saying a return to composite bilateral dialogues is the only way forward.
CNN-IBN Deputy Foreign Affairs Editor Suhasini Haider reports that officials say even if a joint statement comes out on Thursday the two sides would be looking to engage further just like in Yekaterinburg where there were four engagements.
The meeting is likely to lay a roadmap of future engagements in the next few months and there is not likely to be much in terms of content.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has said that a real return to political dialogue will come only if Pakistan is able to make commitment on Thursday.
Indian officials say that sat best what can be expected is some kind of affirmation from Pakistan specifically on Mumbai attackers. Then only India would talk about returning to political dialogue but will keep terror as its focus.
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