Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday bluntly told Pak President Asif Ali Zardari to take action to stop terrorism against India emanating from his country's soil as the two decided that their Foreign Secretaries will meet soon to discuss steps taken by Pakistan.

At the first top-level contact since the Mumbai terror attacks in November, the two leaders also decided to meet again in Egypt on the sidelines of NAM Summit next month to take stock of the outcome of the Foreign Secretaries meet.

Setting the tone for the meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Singh, shaking hands with Zardari, bluntly told him in front of television cameras that "my mandate is to tell you that Pakistan territory should not be used for terrorism against India."

An apparently embarrassed Zardari told the Prime Minister "please let them (media) go" out of the room before they can have detailed discussion.

Briefing the media on the 40-minute meeting, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said, "The Prime Minister conveyed to the Pakistan President the full extent of our expectation of strong and effective steps to prevent use of Pakistani territory for terrorism against India."

Menon made it clear that meetings between Singh and Zardari and the Foreign Secretaries did not mean resumption of dialogue.

"Foreign Secretaries will discuss the primary issue of terrorism and what Pakistan has done... we would
like to hear what they have done to end terrorism directed against India," he said.

Menon said relations between India and Pakistan were under "considerable stress" and the prime cause for it was terror acts coming out of Pakistan.

During the meeting, Zardari explained "some of the efforts" made by Pakistan to deal with terrorism and the "problem" Pakistan faces in this regard.

As a follow up to today's deliberations, Foreign Secretaries of the two countries would discuss "what Pakistan is doing and what can be done", Menon said adding, that the conclusions will be conveyed to the respective leaders so that they can take a view on it.

During the meeting, Singh is also believed to have conveyed India's disappointment over release of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed, a prime accused in Mumbai attacks.

On Pakistan's contention that it is also a victim of terrorism, Menon said, "There is terrorism in Pakistan but that is not an issue here. What has paused the dialogue is terrorism coming out of Pakistan against India like Mumbai attacks."