Mumbai Attack Probe Dominates Indo-Pak Secy Level Talks
Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao met her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in New York on Saturday, the discussions, on the eve of minister-level talks, reportedly revolved around progress in investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks that killed the composite dialogue process between the two sides.
The secretary level talks, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, were the first high-level contact between the two countries since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh, in July.
The two Foreign Secretaries discussed progress made by Pakistan in the probe into the ghastly 26/11 terror carnage in Mumbai.
Rao and Bashir will now brief foreign ministers SM Krishna and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, on their discussions. The ministers are scheduled to meet tomorrow.
India has been pressing Pakistan for credible action against those responsible for the ghastly 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai.
Setting the tone for the contact, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said: “India’s message is that India seeks to normalise its relations with Pakistan. But the only obstacle is that Pakistan should give up its old attitude regarding the use of terror as an instrument of state policy.”
On the Mumbai attacks, he said “we have supplied our material and evidence for them to carry out investigations. Although the tragedy took place in India, the conspiracy took place in Pakistan. Pakistan has admitted to this. We want them to bring to book the culprits involved in the November 26 attacks.”
Islamabad on Saturday said the statements were “very regrettable.”
(BASED ON MEDIA REPORTS)
