'Never claimed Krishna used phone during talks'

Islamabad, July 18: In an apparent volte-face, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has denied accusing his Indian counterpart S M Krishna of receiving directives over the telephone from high-ups in New Delhi during the Jul 15 talks.

"I had never said that Indian external minister repeatedly went out during meeting to receive instructions from Delhi," The Dawn quoted Qureshi, as saying.

He said it was actually one of the Indian officials who kept receiving instructions and updating his seniors back home.

Qureshi told reporters that some extremist forces in India were against successful Indo-Pak talks, and that New Delhi had a limited agenda for the foreign ministerial level talks, while Islamabad was ready to discuss all contentious issues.

"Pakistan was willing to hold a frank and candid dialogue on all issues but India had a limited agenda," Qureshi said.

Just a day after the talks, Qureshi had blamed Krishna of receiving dictates from New Delhi over phone during the dialogue.

However, Krishna had rubbished the charges terming Qureshi's remark as 'extraordinary'.

"I never used any telephone. I was totally cut-off from India. It is an extraordinary statement. I did not speak to Delhi. In diplomatic parlance we are always in touch," Krishna had said soon after returning back to New Delhi from Islamabad.

ANI