Kathmandu: In a final ice-breaking moment that gave a boost to Saarc and floundering regional cooperation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shook hands with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, laughed and patted him on the arm at the closing ceremony of the bloc’s 18th summit here yesterday.
In a photo-op that appeared to belie recent animosity between the two neighbours, Modi and Sharif shook hands for several seconds and chatted, smiling all the while, as Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, the host of the summit, looked on happily.
Modi and Sharif had shaken hands and interacted briefly during a retreat at Dhulikhel, outside Kathmandu, earlier in the day.
The two had otherwise ignored each other during the summit of leaders from the eight South Asian countries on Wednesday.
“India is for peaceful and cooperative relations with Pakistan. If this shake hand leads to that we will welcome it. However, emphasis is on meaningful dialogue,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said later to reporters.
During the concluding ceremony, as soon as Koirala declared the session closed, Modi turned to the immediate neighbour to his right, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and shook hands with him and chatted.
He then shook hands with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, and was joined by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Sharif was away from the group, talking to a Nepalese minister, while Koirala was looking awkwardly on, standing in the midst of the two rival prime ministers.
Just when the question was on everyone’s mind — will they, won’t they — Modi finished chatting with his group of Saarc leaders, turned around and spoke to the Nepalese prime minister, and stepped ahead to shake hands with Sharif.
Modi and Sharif smiled warmly at each other, and kept their hands clasped all the while as they chatted like old friends.
As the audience erupted into loud applause, Modi cracked what appeared like a joke, laughed and slapped Sharif gently on his arm.
Both the leaders then turned towards the audience, comprising diplomats and senior officials of all the eight countries, as they continued to shake hands.
A relieved Koirala, who is credited with mediating between them, looked smilingly on.
Earlier in the day, Modi and Sharif held informal talks at the Dhulikhel retreat, those present said.
Prime Minster Koirala pushed the two leaders to sit for talks, at least informally, and break the logjam in bilateral relations as other Saarc countries feel that the India-Pakistan dispute is impeding progress on greater South Asian cooperation and understanding.
During his talks with Modi, Koirala asked the Indian prime minister to reach out to Pakistan, given the former’s stature as Saarc leader, and its size, population and economy.
IANS
