Pak needs to do much more on ending terror: Krishna

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Describing cross-border terrorism
as a "core" concern, India Tuesday said Pakistan would have to
do "much more" in addressing it before other aspects of the
relations can be pursued.
India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told the
Lower House of Parliament that India wanted to have good
relations with Pakistan and in the recent past efforts have
been made to "open up" talks with the neighbour to convince it
that "once the question of terrorism is addressed by Pakistan,
then certain other things will follow".
He was replying to a debate on Demand for Grants for the
Ministry of External Affairs during which the opposition
slammed the government's foreign policy as "hazy and
directionless" and said India should not look up to the US in
dealing with Pakistan over terrorism.
Responding to the views expressed by opposition members,
including Murli Manohar Joshi of the opposition Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP), Krishna contended that security
considerations were part of the country's foreign policy.
He referred to the February 25 Foreign Secretary-level
talks and said the initiative for it was taken by India on its
own and "without any prodding by anyone".
The idea behind the invitation to Pakistan Foreign
Secretary Salman Bashir to visit India for talks was to
"convey our serious concerns about terror they unleash from
across the border," he said, adding "We conveyed what needed
to be conveyed".
During the talks, he said the two sides had agreed to
keep contacts open so that there could be a return visit by
the Indian Foreign Secretary.
Underlining that "terrorism is one of our core concerns"
in relations with Pakistan, Krishna said, "We want Pakistan to
do much more (on mitigating it)." He said this had been
communicated to Pakistan.
Noting that Composite Dialogue had been going on till
Mumbai attacks, the Minister said India had to suspend it to
convey "righteous indignation" of the people of the country.
(MORE) PTI RC
RDM


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