Ranchi: External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on October 18 said no decision had been taken as yet on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee going to Islamabad to attend the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit there in January.

"No decision had been taken yet. Where is the question when dates of the SAARC meeting are not yet finalised?" Sinha asked reporters at the Ranchi airport before leaving for his home-town, Hazaribagh, by road.

Asked if Indo-Pak tensions had eased following troop withdrawal from forward positions along the international border with Pakistan and reciprocal measures by the neighbour, he replied "You can say what you like, but do not put words in my mouth".

Sinha also stressed that it was a 'troop redeployment and relocation' and not a 'withdrawal', adding that the troops were ready and vigilant to meet any emergency.

Asked if Indo-Pak dialogue was now a possibility, he reiterating that unless cross border terrorism stopped and a conducive atmosphere created, there could not be any talks.

Sinha also lauded the Babulal Marandi government's performance in Jharkhand saying the pace of work in road, rail and power sectors, were worthy of praise.

PTI