NEW YORK: Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers failed to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said “it was not on the cards”.

Mr Krishna told reporters at the Asia Society the dialogue between the two countries would continue when his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi visited India.

Mr Qureshi said the widely anticipated meeting did not come off because the Indian side expressed no interest after he proposed that their talks be made ‘meaningful’ and not only a photo opportunity.

The talks can take place immediately if a positive response is received,” Mr Qureshi said, adding that any meeting needed to be meaningful and should produce results.

Without issues like Kashmir, Siachen and water on the table, the foreign minister said, no useful purpose would be served in holding a meeting.

“Our stand is constructive,” he said. Asked whether the next round of talks under the Thimphu process would take place in New Delhi, the foreign minister said that India was aware of Pakistan’s principled position for meaningful talks.

“Therefore, the ball is in India’s court.”