India, Pak Foreign Secys to meet to discuss terror

Ajay Kaul

Yekaterinburg, June 16 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh today bluntly told Pakistan 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 Tuesday'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 the 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."

On Pakistan's insistence on resumption of dialogue, Menon
said "we too would like the dialogue, but the issue (terrorism
directed against India) has to be addressed."

In this regard, Menon referred to Prime Minister's
statement that it was in India's interest to try to make peace
with Pakistan "but it takes two hands to clap."

Menon said India has never said it will not talk to
Pakistan but the issue of terrorism has to be addressed.

To a question, he said there have been assurances by
Pakistan in the past also but it has to be ascertained how
much they have been fulfilled. PTI AKK
SCY
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