ID :
46439
Thu, 02/19/2009 - 18:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/46439
The shortlink copeid
Holbrooke praises India for showing restraint after 26/11
Washington, Feb 19 (PTI) Instigating conflict between
India and Pakistan was the main purpose of the masterminds of
the Mumbai attacks, a top US official has said, praising New
Delhi for defeating their designs by exercising restraint.
Observing that the attack on Mumbai was conducted by
"very shrewd and ruthless murderers", US Special
Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke
said: "Terrorists who launched that attack tried to upset the
improving relationship between Pakistan and India."
New Delhi did not play in their hands, Holbrooke told the
PBS news channel in an interview.
"The Indians restraint themselves and the Pakistanis did
not move their troops to the border. We have got to understand
that to get the Pakistanis focus on the West we have to have
the reduction of tension between India and Pakistan," he said.
Referring to his visit to New Delhi last week, Holbrooke
said he had very excellent consultations with Indian leaders
and officials. This is for the first time that India has been
made a part of Washington's consultations on Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, along with the
US, share a common threat from terrorists, who are "located in
the same area and come from the same routes".
"People who did 9/11 in the US, the people who attacked
Mumbai and the people who seized Swat all come from the same
routes and all are located in the same area," he said.
He emphasised that co-operation and reduction of tension
between the two South Asian neighbours is a key factor to the
success in Afghanistan.
He hoped that India and Pakistan, who have fought several
wars in the last 60 years are now going to find a common cause
to reduce this threat by taking the terrorists head on.
"As everyone knows that the Pakistan Army has focused on
India for decades, most of us believe that they have to
reorient their attention much more to the west. But in order
to do that there has to be much more confidence between
Pakistan and India," Holbrooke said.
India and Pakistan was the main purpose of the masterminds of
the Mumbai attacks, a top US official has said, praising New
Delhi for defeating their designs by exercising restraint.
Observing that the attack on Mumbai was conducted by
"very shrewd and ruthless murderers", US Special
Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke
said: "Terrorists who launched that attack tried to upset the
improving relationship between Pakistan and India."
New Delhi did not play in their hands, Holbrooke told the
PBS news channel in an interview.
"The Indians restraint themselves and the Pakistanis did
not move their troops to the border. We have got to understand
that to get the Pakistanis focus on the West we have to have
the reduction of tension between India and Pakistan," he said.
Referring to his visit to New Delhi last week, Holbrooke
said he had very excellent consultations with Indian leaders
and officials. This is for the first time that India has been
made a part of Washington's consultations on Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, along with the
US, share a common threat from terrorists, who are "located in
the same area and come from the same routes".
"People who did 9/11 in the US, the people who attacked
Mumbai and the people who seized Swat all come from the same
routes and all are located in the same area," he said.
He emphasised that co-operation and reduction of tension
between the two South Asian neighbours is a key factor to the
success in Afghanistan.
He hoped that India and Pakistan, who have fought several
wars in the last 60 years are now going to find a common cause
to reduce this threat by taking the terrorists head on.
"As everyone knows that the Pakistan Army has focused on
India for decades, most of us believe that they have to
reorient their attention much more to the west. But in order
to do that there has to be much more confidence between
Pakistan and India," Holbrooke said.
