Qureshi is 'most welcome' during the Games: Krishna

Their talks in New York might not have materialised, but External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has invited his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi to visit India to witness the Commonwealth Games.

Krishna said the Pakistani minister was "most welcome" during the Games that are about to take off in New Delhi. "Foreign Minister Qureshi is most welcome to come to witness some of the games, it gives us a chance to continue the dialogue," he told NDTV.

Delhi is hosting the Games from October 3 to October 14, and the Pakistani sports delegation has already arrived in the capital. Krishna and Qureshi were both in New York for over a week to attend the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly and a bilateral meeting was widely anticipated.

The meeting, however, did not take place, apparently because India was put off by Qureshi raising the Kashmir issue at several forums there, including the United Nations. Krishna, finally, told journalists yesterday that a bilateral with Qureshi is not on the cards.

Qureshi, on his part, hinted that it appeared India had changed its mind on the meeting after initially showing interest. Despite talks in New York not working out, both ministers have also expressed optimism about Qureshi's visit to New Delhi for another round of bilateral talks, which will pick up the threads from Krishna's last visit to Islamabad.

The dates for the next round of talks have not yet been decided. "I have said in my speech that I have invited Foreign Minister Qureshi to come to India and he has very graciously accepted my invitation," Krishna said.

"I am looking forward to his visit to India so that we can take up from where he left in Islamabad," Krishna said earlier.