UNITED NATIONS Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said here on Monday that a meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna was possible before he left New York, if the Indian side agreed to fresh proposals submitted by Pakistan.

Talking to Pakistani reporters, he expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in occupied Kashmir and said that if he got a positive response from the Indian side “we can meet anytime before I leave for Pakistan.”

Mr Qureshi said that talks between India and Pakistan should be meaningful and were essential as the situation in the occupied Kashmir continued to worsen. He said the need of the hour was for the Indian government to change “tactics” in dealing with the Kashmiris. Mr Qureshi is expected to address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.