New Delhi, June 15
No decision on date and venue of the summit between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf has yet been taken, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said here today.

In response to a question, the spokesperson said we had seen media reports about the summit taking place at Panjim, the capital of Goa, but “no such decision has been taken as yet”.

Stating that “decision on logistics is yet to be taken”, she said an announcement would be made in due course.

Asked if the announcement would be done simultaneously in Islamabad and New Delhi, the spokesperson said it was the usual practice.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh is in Mumbai and is going to call on the Prime Minister, who is recuperating in Breach Candy Hospital after a knee replacement surgery.

Asked about Mr Jaswant Singh’s visit, the spokesperson admitted that the minister was in Mumbai to enquire about the Prime Minister’s health before his visit to Australia and New Zealand, beginning from June 19.

Notwithstanding official explanations about the purpose of Mr Jaswant Singh’s visit, the External Affairs Minister would brief Mr Vajpayee about the inputs that he had from Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Vijay Nambiar who had arrived in New Delhi on June 13, sources said.

It is understood that Mr Jaswant Singh and Mr Vajpayee will have detailed and in-depth discussion on all aspects of the proposed summit meeting and its likely impact on domestic and international scenario.

Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi today called on Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi.

Emerging out of the meeting, the High Commissioner said the Chief Executive was coming here with an open mind and was willing to discuss various issues as the forthcoming summit would provide a “great opportunity” to move into a “more constructive phase” of Indo-Pakistan relations.

Asked whether General Musharraf was likely to address the joint session of Indian Parliament, Mr Qazi avoided a direct reply saying that it depended on the exact dates of the visit.

However, dates for the summit had not yet been finalised, Mr Qazi pointed out, adding that details of the visit would be discussed between the two foreign offices after a formal announcement on exact dates was made.

Mr Qazi has already met former Prime Ministers I.K. Gujral, V.P. Singh, P.V. Narasimha Rao, H.D. Deve Gowda, besides left leaders like CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan and CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri.