Despite another handshake and an exchange of pleasantries, the leaders of India and Pakistan left a South Asian summit yesterday with no easing of tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
As they went their separate ways, Indian and Pakistani forces traded mortar fire on their tense border, further dashing hopes for a diplomatic solution.
The summit in Nepal's capital ended as it began, with a handshake between Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, but no sign of talks between the old foes to defuse their dangerous military build-up.
Vajpayee told reporters he exchanged courtesies with Musharraf but "nothing significant was discussed," when they shook hands at the end of the summit.
Musharraf -- who stole the show on Saturday when he walked over to Vajpayee at the opening session of the summit and shook his hand -- was hopeful that formal talks would take place, though no time has been set.
"They [tensions] may not have been eased, but they haven't worsened," Musharraf told a news conference after the end of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit.
"We had an informal interaction and we look forward to formalizing the interaction in the future."
India wants Pakistan to take more concrete action against Pakistani-based militants it blames for the Dec.13 attack on its parliament that killed 14, including the five assailants.
The long-time foes have amassed troops and artillery along the ceasefire line dividing the disputed Kashmir region since the suicide attack on India's parliament.
India blamed two Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatist groups for the attack, and has repeatedly called on Islamabad to end support to Muslim guerrillas fighting a "holy war" against Indian rule in Kashmir, Hindu India's only Muslim-majority state.
Under pressure from the US, its new partner in the global war on terrorism, Pakistan has cracked down on the two groups and yesterday detained more Islamic activists with police raiding mosques, homes and offices across the country.
Government officials say at least 100 people have been rounded up since the crackdown began last month, but representatives of the groups say several hundred have been detained.
Though no concrete steps were taken to defuse the crisis, the fact the leaders met, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries was a start.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar told reporters contacts and conversations had taken place throughout the summit but these were exploratory.
Vajpayee told Nepali newspaper editors talks with Pakistan would resume in the future.
"We are neighbors and we've had talks in the past," Yubaraj Ghimire, editor of Nepal's Kantipur daily, quoted the Indian leader as saying. "The talks have stopped now. But they will take place in the future."
The military build-up is considered one of the most dangerous since both countries won independence from Britain in 1947. They have fought three wars since then, two of them over Kashmir.
The troops have exchanged fire almost daily across the ceasefire line Kashmir. Yesterday, there was firing near the Pakistani town of Sialkot, on the border of Punjab province, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, witnesses said.
On Saturday, six people, including two Indian soldiers, were injured in Indian Kashmir by fire from Pakistani troops, a defense official said. Pakistani officials said one man was injured and another killed overnight when Indian troops fired on villages in Pakistani Kashmir.
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