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External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday slammed the outcome of the elections in Pakistan, describing them as "predetermined and flawed".
"We have reason to be concerned," Sinha said in London following bilateral discussions between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his British counterpart Tony Blair.
Asked if India would block Pakistan's return to the Commonwealth when the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meets in London next month, Sinha said, "We are of the opinion that democracy has not returned to Pakistan as a result of elections."
He said Vajpayee had expressed concern over the electoral victories of fundamentalist elements in Pakistan's border provinces.
"The situation in the subcontinent was reviewed and Mr Blair agreed that dialogue and terrorism could not go on side-by-side and there is a need to end cross-border terrorism to create an atmosphere for dialogue [with Pakistan], Sinha added.
The minister said the exchange of views at Blair's country home, Chequers, focused on bilateral relations in the context of the Delhi Declaration of January 2002.
"Prime Minister Vajpayee said perhaps there was a need to push ahead in the trade and economic fields and suggested more British ministers should come to India to provide a fillip," Sinha said.
One specific proposal to emerge from the India side was that British companies should explore the prospect of using India as a research and development hub.
Another idea discussed was to foster Indo-UK collaboration for development projects in Afghanistan. "I mentioned an irrigation project in Herat that needs to be completed," Sinha said.
He said the Indian prime minister had given his assessment of the situation in Iraq.
"India believes Iraq should comply wholly and completely with UN resolutions, but whatever should be done about Iraq should be decided through the UN and not unilaterally," Sinha said.
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