Dialogue cannot resume till credible action by Pak: Menon

New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) India Monday made it clear that
composite dialogue process with Pakistan cannot resume till
New Delhi sees credible action by Islamabad to bring the
perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice and dismantle
the terror infrastructure.

Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon also disfavoured any
mediation by the US or any other country between India and
Pakistan, saying the best results can be achieved if the two
South Asian countries do it bilaterally.

He maintained that India and Pakistan had made progress
in their relationship before the Mumbai attacks as they dealt
with issues bilaterally.

"It is hard for any external source to replace" the
bilateral process, he told reporters here when asked to
comment on US President Barack Obama's intention to engage in
"constructive diplomacy" between India and Pakistan.

"We need two hands to clap. Third hand will not be
helpful," Menon said.

Asked about Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's
emphasis on the need for early resumption of composite
dialogue, the Foreign Secretary said, "our present position is
we are looking at bringing perpetrators of Mumbai attacks to
justice and credible action by Pakistan to dismantle terror
infrastructure from where Mumbai attacks and earlier attacks
in India were carried out. We are waiting."

To a question, Menon underlined that action by Pakistan
has to be "credible in our view". "Unless it is credible, it
is not worth it. We want to see action," he said.

At the same time, he said, "We are not setting down
markers or timelines" and that India wanted to see its
expectation being met.

Welcoming the intent of the new Afghan-Pakistan policy
unveiled by Obama last week, he said that for India "links"
between Pakistani establishment and terror elements is a
"cause of concern" and "we will welcome whatever anybody can
do to cut those links".

Menon said that the problem as well as its diagnosis was
well known but different countries might have different
approaches.

US special envoy Richard Holbrooke will be visiting India
and discussions will be held with him on this issue.

Menon said India was shocked and saddened at the attack
on the police academy in Lahore but refused to hazard a guess
at this stage about who is responsible for it. PTI AKK
SAK