Modi, Sharif meet, ‘exchange courtesies’

THE CHANCE MEETING WITH SHARIF HAPPENED AS MODI WALKED INTO THE VIP LOUNGE AND SAW HIS COUNTERPART SITTING ON A SOFA

At the Paris climate summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had bilateral meetings with US President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande and an impromptu brief interaction with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The chance meeting with Sharif happened as Modi walked into the VIP lounge and saw his Pakistani counterpart sitting on a sofa.

Sources said the PM walked towards Sharif and seeing him approaching, Sharif also responded.

The two leaders then shook hands. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said they spoke to each other for some time without any official delegates around and there was only “exchange of courtesies”.

The last time the two had met was at the SCO summit in Ufa, Russia, in July this year

Agencies had quoted British officials on Saturday to state that Sharif had expressed his willingness to meet his Indian counterpart at a meeting with British PM David Cameron.

Indian sources said the Paris meeting was not pre-decided and was an impromptu action on part of Prime Minister Modi.

The officials said that what transpired between the two was not known immediately as no official was present.