Medvedev offers India all help to combat terror

Mumbai, Dec 22 (PTI) Describing warm Indo-Russian ties
as "special" and not merely a "figure of speech", Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday assured India all help
in its fight against terror.
"India and Russia have special relations and it is not
(mere) figure of speech. The decision of using weapons is the
prerogative of India, but we are ready to help and assist as
we are already doing," Medvedev said in an interactive session
with students of IIT-Bombay when asked about the collaboration
between the two countries in combating terror.
"I'm not disclosing a state secret but when I visited
India four days after the Mumbai terror attacks I told them
(the government) a simple thing: If India needs our assistance
in terms of anti-terrorism, we are ready to provide weapons,
modern technology," he said.
When asked a hypothetical question as to how Russia
would react if a 26/11 type attack sponsored by Pakistan were
to happen there, Medvedev refused to link any country with
terror but said, "Russia would retaliate. If any foreign state
attacks Russia, we will defend. We will save lives by all
possible means."
He, however, said the possibility of compromise should
also be explored. "One should not resort to use of force until
all peaceful ways are exhausted." (MORE) PTI