News
Saturday, June 05, 2010
India pledges to engage Pakistan despite concerns* Krishna says New Delhi would continue to talk to Islamabad
WASHINGTON: India pledged on Friday to go “more than half the way” to repair testy relations with Pakistan but said it has won support from the US to keep a careful eye on its neighbour.
Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has accepted an invitation to visit Islamabad next month despite continued Indian concerns about Pakistan-based terrorist groups blamed for the deadly 2008 siege of Mumbai. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “has always been saying that you tackle those who are responsible for the Mumbai attacks and I’m willing to go more than half the way,” Krishna told a news conference on a visit to Washington. “Things have not exactly gone as per our estimates, but nonetheless we cannot give up. We will have to keep engaging with Pakistan,” he said. Krishna said his visit to Islamabad was meant to overcome a “trust deficit” between India and Pakistan, which have fought three full-fledged wars since their separation in 1947.
But Krishna said he shared India’s concerns about Pakistan to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a “strategic dialogue” on Thursday. “The message that I get from the US administration is that they are aware of our concerns,” Krishna said. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk