Chennai: India would take a decision on participating in next month's SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) summit in Islamabad only when the dates were announced, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said on December 7.

"The dates had not yet been finalised. A decision would be taken when they were announced," he said in a brief chat with reporters at the Meenambakkam airport on December 7 night on his way to Colombo.

Asked whether India whole-heartedly believed that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had given up its demand for separate homeland, Sibal said, "It is for the Sri Lankan government to believe. Does the Sri Lankan believe so? There must be clarity on that."

The Foreign Secretary said he was visiting Colombo for the first time to talk to his counterpart and to the leadership there and "familiarise" himself with various issues. "The situation and developments there are of interest to us. I will have first-hand exposure on a whole range of issues of interest to us and on bilateral issues."

Replying to another question, Sibal said India was in favour of peace process. There could be peace in the island only on the basis of certain principles and the protection of the legitimate interests of all the communities there.

Asked whether India had softened its stand on the LTTE, Sibal replied in the negative.

"We have to wait and see," was his reply, when asked whether the ban on LTTE would be lifted.

PTI