India hopes Pak gets serious about dismantling terror camps

New York, Sep 27 (PTI) Asserting that there cannot be a
"selective approach" in the fight against terrorism, India
on Tuesday expressed hope that Pakistan will be "serious" in
dismantling terror camps on its soil and live up to its
pronouncements.
"I am sure they (Pakistan) will realise and they should
have (realised) by now that terrorism cannot be fought
selectively," India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna
said after meeting his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar
at a reception hosted by her here.
"'It has to be fought across the board,' as Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh has stressed repeatedly," Krishna told
reporters here.
Krishna recalled that Khar had mentioned during her visit
to New Delhi in July this year that her country too was a
victim of terrorism.
Replying to a question that US too is talking in the
same voice as India on the terror network in Pakistan, Krishna
said terrorism has to be fought across the board and not in a
selective manner.
Krishna said India has brought to Pakistan's attention
and notice through dossiers on the terror threat that emanates
from its soil.
He said Pakistan had assured India that its territory
"is not going to be used for any hostile activities" against
India.
"I hope Pakistan gets serious about dismantling all
the terror training camps which are existing in the
country....We expect that Pakistan will live up to their
pronouncements."
When asked what Khar, one of the youngest foreign
ministers Pakistan has seen, will bring to the bilateral
dialogue with India, Krishna said he found that she has
responded positively to exchanges between people, academia,
teachers, students and sportsmen from the two countries.
"This is the surest way of building bridges and we
will certainly reciprocate."
On the recent heated exchanges between Pakistan and
the US over Haqqani network and ISI links, Krishna said it
would not be "proper" for India to comment on Pakistan's
relations with other countries.
Expressing happiness over his meeting with Khar, Krishna
said such social exchanges will go a long way in normalising
relations with the neighbouring country.
Noting that the Pakistani delegation was "obviously very
very happy" with his presence at the reception, Krishna said
he too was "very pleased" with his visit to the social
gathering.
Krishna said Khar too expressed pleasure with his
presence. Krishna quoted Khar, who told him that "look at all
the smiles at every Pakistani face."
"She was extremely warm and I was very pleased that I did
go to the reception," Krishna told reporters later.
He said such social exchanges are part of the overall
attempt that "we have been making with all seriousness to
normalise relations with Pakistan."
"These gestures will certainly go a long way in improving
bilateral relationship. I am happy that I did go there," he
said. PTI YAS
EKA