New Delhi, January 21
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today said the situation along the border with Pakistan was a lot better than what it was earlier this month but indicated that India was in no hurry to open negotiations with the neighbouring country over the recent tension.

"I think it is important that we let little time go by so that the dust, as it was, settles. Then in a sensible and calibrated manner we can move forward," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said at a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr here.

On Pakistan Foreign Minister's recent statement offering to hold talks with India at the foreign ministers' level on the recent ceasefire violations, Khurshid said it could not be described as an offer. A suggestion was made on how to move forward and it came through the media. ''We have said that moving away from attempts (by Pakistan) to internationalise the issue to bilateralism is a positive signal.''

The fact was that things were quiet at the LoC after the talks between the DGMOs of the two countries. '' It's a welcome shift...things are moving in the right direction.'' He said India was carefully examining every development in India-Pakistan relations from time to time.

The minister sought to play down some harsh comments made by Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir in recent interviews describing the beheading of an Indian soldier by the Pakistan Army at India's domestic issue and criticising Manmohan Singh's statement that it would not be business-as-usual with Pakistan until it probed the mutilation of Indian jawans.

"We should not react to every statement. I don't think that every statement made in the domestic context should necessarily be treated as the last word," he added.