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K J M Varma in Islamabad
In sharp contrast to the high-profile raking up of Indo-Pak bilateral issues at the SAARC fora in Kathmandu and later in Islamabad, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday refrained from referring to the Kashmir issue at the grouping's ministerial meeting discussing poverty.
Musharraf devoted most of his inaugural speech on the 'three-tier concept of regional development to effectively deal with grinding poverty of the region'.
Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission K C Pant told the two-day SAARC Finance and Planning Ministers' Conference on Poverty Alleviation that India would do whatever it can within its means to fight poverty.
"India stands fully committed and is ready and willing to do whatever it can within its limited means to reduce poverty," Pant said.
After delivering a sedate speech outlining his vision on development and poverty eradication in the South Asian region, Musharraf quietly settled down for a little chat over tea with Pant and other SAARC Ministers to discuss the issues of mutual interest.
Earlier, soon after his arrival at the venue, Musharraf shook hands with Pant and other delegates attending the meet.
Indian officials later clarified that there was no one-to-one meeting between Musharraf.
Pant is heading a four-member official delegation at the meeting.
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