Beijing: External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh is expected to meet for the first time with his Chinese and Pakistani counterparts on or around June 21 in the east Chinese coastal city of Qingdao on the sidelines of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) meeting, sources said here today (June 11,2004).

While the three sides have not confirmed the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry sources did not rule out the possibility since the three Foreign Ministers would be among 22 others attending the third ACD Foreign Ministers' meeting from June 21-22 in Qingdao in Shandong province.

"As to whether there will be a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, I don't have any information on that," a senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official told reporters at a background briefing.

"However, there will be a unique opportunity for the Foreign Ministers to meet. I sure there will be a lot of bilateral meetings," the official, who requested anonymity, said.

Singh and Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri have already confirmed their participation at the ACD meeting while Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will be the host.

The expected meeting between Singh and Kasuri assumes importance since it will take place just before the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan - scheduled at the end of this month.

Apart from Singh and Kasuri, Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are expected to attend the ACD meeting.