Pak must show `sincerity` for resumption of talks: Indian PM

New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Wednesday ruled out resumption of talks with Pakistan as
long as it allows terrorists to use its territory against
India and shows "sincerity" in bringing the perpetrators of
Mumbai attacks to justice.

He also rejected as "not true" Islamabad contention
that India has not provided sufficient evidence to Pakistan in
connection with the 26/11 attacks.

"The present situation is so long as Pakistan chooses
to allow its territory to be used against India, no
negotiation can take place.

"We are for engagement with Pakistan but Pakistan must
prove its sincerity by bringing the perpetrators of 26/11
attacks to book," he said in an interaction with members of
the Editors Guild of India.

On US suggestion that India should involve itself in
its new Afghanistan-Pakistan policy, he said "we are worried
about growth of terrorist elements both in Afghanistan and
Pakistan.

"If the international community and the US work to
eliminate terror, in this we are willing to cooperate with
them," Singh said.

Singh said in the last five years India tried to
resolve all areas of contention with Pakistan and "at one time
it appeared I was about to succeed in 2007" but President
Pervez Musharraf then got into problems with the Chief Justice
of Pakistan.

Asked how close he was to success, he said he could
not disclose all details but recalled that in a speech in
Amritsar he had said set out the approach of the government
with regard to Pakistan and that "we had nearly succeeded in
Pakistan".

Replying to another question, the Prime Minister said
India was interested in a stable, prosperous and democratic
Pakistan and that it gained nothing from the collapse of its
neighbour.

"We will like sooner or later to carry out the
process of reconcialiation but so long as Pakistan allows it
territory to be used against India, we cannot resume the
dialogue process," he said.

Asked about the dangers of Pakistan's nuclear assets
falling into the hands of jehadi elements, he said "this
danger is there definitely. There is a problem about in whose
hands it will fall.

"If it falls in the hands of jehadi groups, the
problem can go up and they can blackmail. But we have been
assured that the nuclear assets are in safe hands. I would not
like to say anything more this," he said.

On Pakistan's latest statement that it did not get
sufficient evidence from India on involvement of Pakistani
element in Mumbai attacks, Singh said that they had got enough
material from "us, FBI and British government.

"So for the Pakistan government to say that they have
not got enough material is not true", he said.

The Prime Minister also talked about India's attempts
to improve relations with neighbours. He particularly
mentioned about Nepal where he said that India played an
important role in transition from monarchy and ushering in
of democracy in that country.

"If history is to written on this development, it will
record our role. During the last leg of agitation, I had to
send a Special Envoy to tell the monarch to see the writing on
the wall. That changed the direction of the developments
there," he said.

In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister that
India's relations with all major countries had improved. It
has a strategic relations with US, Russia, China, Germany, EU
and overall it had worked to create a greater international
climate to give the country an elbow room. PTI