Islamabad: Pakistan said today (Dec 29, 2003) there was no confirmation from India about any meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of next week's 12th SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) Summit in Islamabad but urged India to utilise the "historic opportunity" for bilateral engagement to discuss outstanding issues.

"We have no confirmation," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan told reporters, when asked about the possibility of Vajpayee meeting Musharraf.

He said the SAARC Summit provided an historic opportunity and the leadership of the two countries should utilise it for bilateral engagement to resolve outstanding issues.

"As far as Pakistan is concerned, we are prepared to meet Vajpayee and we would encourage meetings at the highest level and meeting between the leaders of the two countries," he added.

Khan also recollected that some time ago Vajpayee had said he would be happy if Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was to meet him.

"Our Prime Minister responded positively. We are prepared for a meeting between Prime Minister of India and our Prime Minister, if there is mutual willingness to meet each other," he said.

Vajpayee was scheduled to meet Musharraf when the Pakistan President hosts a dinner for the SAARC heads on January 4 but so far India has not openly agreed for any separate meetings between the two.