The seventeenth summit of the association of South Asian nations, SAARC began at Addu in Maldieves with the call for more cooperation between the member nations to bring into prominence the statuture of south asian nations in the world.

President Mohammad Nasheed of Maldieves, the host nation called for greater cooperation between member nations to enhance the stature of the region in international scenario.

He called for strengthening of the South Asian Free Trade Association, SAFTA to achieve better economic progress of the member countries and prosperity of their people.

Giving a push for normalisation of Indo-Pak ties, PM Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani wanted the liberalised visa regime being negotiated to be put in place at the earliest.

During the one-on-one meeting which lasted for about an hour on the sidelines of the SAARC summit in Addu, Maldieves on Thursday, Singh also told Gilani that it is imperative to bring to justice perpetrators of the November 2008 terror attack on Mumbai.

Singh said the two sides were happy with the progress made so far in bilateral relations and noted that the era of accusation and counter accusation should be left behind.

“We are happy with the progress made so far,” Singh told reporters in a brief interaction.

Sharing the Indian Prime Minister’s sentiments, Gilani said, “We had very good meeting. We are moving in a positive direction ahead.”

After the Singh-Gilani parleys, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told reporters that the two Prime Ministers were of the view that the liberalised visa regime which is being negotiated by the two neighbouring countries should be put in place at the earliest.

Singh said the next round of talks should be “far more productive and bring the two countries closer to each other than ever before.”

“I have always regarded Prime Minister Gilani as a man of peace,” Singh said showering praise on his Pakistani counterpart.

Gilani said all bilateral core issues including Kashmir, Sir Creek and trade were discussed.

“We started a new process in Thimphu last year. That dialogue has made some positive results but more needs to be done. Therefore, we have decided to resume this dialogue with the expectation that all the issues that bedevilled the relationship will be discussed. I am happy that Prime Minister Gilani endorses the view that we have an unique opportunity and therefore the next round of talks should be far more far more productive far more result oriented in bringing the two countries closer to each other than even before,” Singh said.

Gilani thanked Singh for supporting Pakistan at the UN Security Council for a non-permanent seat.

The two Prime Ministers met in a beach cottage in Shangrilla resort along the Indian Ocean and discussed a whole range of issues, including the need for Islamabad to take action against the 26/11 perpetrators and build on the recent Pakistani decision to grant the MFN status to India.

Before the meeting, the two prime ministers shook hands and posed for photos. When the photographers pressed for a hand shake again Gilani responded “once more” and the two leaders shook again for the shutterbox.

This was followed by a brief delegation level talks after which the two leaders met separately.

The delegation members included External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai.

From the Pakistani side, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Interior Minister Rehman Malik were among those present.

Singh and Gilani are meeting for the second time this year after their discussions on the margins of the Indo-Pak encounter in the Cricket world cup match in Mohali and third time in 18 months after their talks on the sidelines of the previous SAARC summit in Bhutan last year.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan on Wednesday discussed the key issue of terrorism, which has dogged the bilateral ties for years, with New Delhi asking Islamabad not to allow terrorism from its soil and seeking speedy trial of 26/11 case.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna met his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar for about 30 minutes at the convention centre in Gan, one of the islands at this atoll.

“Terror was the main stress of the meeting. Krishna told Pakistan that it should not allow its soil to be used for terror. To which Khar assured that her country will not allow its soil to be used for such acts,” an official privy to the meeting told the news agency in Maldives.

The official said, “India also raised the issue of the 26/11 trial in Pakistan and Pakistani judicial commission’s visit to India in connection with the Mumbai attack case.”

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Krishna said, “Terrorism continues to be the focal point of India’s dialogue process with Pakistan. So when we discuss bilateral issues, we certainly factor terror and its various ramifications”.

He was responding to a query if the issue of terror was raised by him during the meet.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said such meetings add to the “feel good factor”.

“More contacts, more meetings are forward looking. We did discuss the meeting at summit level tomorrow,” he said.