DHAKA: Indian premier Manmohan Singh confirmed Wednesday he will meet Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif this weekend in a major step towards better relations following rising tensions.

Singh said he will hold talks with Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the first such meeting in three years, amid heightened friction over a string of deadly military attacks across their border in disputed Kashmir.

‘During my visit to New York, I... look forward to bilateral meetings with the leaders of some of our neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan,’ Singh said in a statement before leaving for the United States.

Singh will first head to Washington to meet president Barack Obama to try to strengthen economic ties between the two world’s largest democracies including on nuclear power, before leaving for New York.

‘Over the past decade, our relationship with the United States, which is one of our most important relationships, has transformed into a global strategic partnership,’ his statement said.

New Delhi and Islamabad have been working behind the scenes in recent weeks to secure a meeting, which was in jeopardy after deadly skirmishes in recent weeks between their militaries.

The attacks repeatedly broke a ceasefire in place since 2003 along the de facto border in Kashmir.

BDST: 1954 HRS, SEPT 25, 2013
RoR/SRS