The Prime Minister says, he will have to factor in certain harsh realities like India being affected by terror before arriving at a final decision on meeting his Pakistani counter part Nawaz Sharif later this month in New York. Dr. Manmohan Singh was speaking to newspersons on board the flight from St.Petersburg in Russia after attending G- 20 Summit. He has since returned to New Delhi.

Dr.Singh asserted he would be happy to meet Sharif under normal conditions as he had respect for the Pakistani premier, who had said the right things about how India-Pakistan relations should evolve. But, he said there are certain harsh realities on the ground.

If the terror acts doesn't stop, if those who voice terrorist thoughts move about freely, if there is no significant progress in bringing the culprits of the Mumbai massacre to book , then he said, he has to factor these in before arriving at a final decision. He said he had always maintained that both can choose their friends, but there is no choice with regard to our neighbours.

The Prime Minister also said he was very sad to hear of the killing of prominent Bengali writer Sushmita Banerjee by the Taliban in Afghanistan and described her as a noble person. Singh said the incident showed that Afghanistan is still plagued by the Taliban menace. He said the government and people of Afghanistan, ultimately, will have to make up their minds whether the Taliban philosophy, particularly with regard to the role of women in society, is the theme which should decide their approach to life.

Answering a question Dr. Singh indicated he is ready to don any role in the Congress after the 2014 general elections. He said he will be very happy to work under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Singh also maintained that Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Vice President, will be an ideal choice for the prime ministership post after the next Lok Sabha polls.

Singh also did not rule out any alliances with erstwhile ally Trinamool Congress in the future, saying in politics there are no permanent enemies and permanent friends. He said Mamata Banerjee was a very respectable member of the Congress party at one time and the Congress was also very happy to have her in the UPA government.

Singh said the Congress would very much like like-minded, secular minded persons to work again to give the country's polity a thrust in favour of secular elements.