Pak must bring 26/11 perpetrators to book: Indian Envoy

Yoshita Singh
Boston, Apr 22 (PTI) The perpetrators of the Mumbai
terror attacks must be brought to justice if talks between
India and Pakistan, resumed "despite the pressure of
terrorism" emanating from the neighbouring country, have to be
productive, a top Indian diplomat said on Friday.
India is desirous of building a "future with Pakistan
defined by the power of cooperation rather than the perils of
conflict that leads us to hope for a stable, moderate and
prosperous Pakistan," Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar said.
Speaking to students at the Harvard Kennedy School
here, Shankar said India has "repeatedly extended the hand of
friendship (to Pakistan), despite the pressure of terrorism
emanating from Pakistan - as investigations after the Mumbai
terrorist attacks and revelations of US national David Headley
have shown."
While India has resumed talks with Pakistan, with the
two countries even engaging in cricket diplomacy during the
World Cup, Shankar said: "for the resumed dialogue to be
productive, our concerns on terrorism must be addressed and
all those responsible for the Mumbai attack brought to book."
Shankar said the surge of violent extremism in India's
neighbourhood is affecting the entire world.
"There are countries in uncertain political
transitions. And the arc of clandestine proliferation that
extends from East Asia to West Asia runs through our
neighbourhood."
In this context, Shankar said success in helping
Afghans build a stable and sovereign country, "free from
extremist pressure," is important not just for the Afghans or
south Asia but equally for "our collective future."
India does not see Afghanistan as a theatre of
regional competition, she said, adding that it as a potential
hub of energy, trade and transit linking central Asia and
south Asia.
"In Afghanistan we are engaged in development
activities, we are not engaged in any security role. Pakistan
also has to overcome the imagined paranoia about what India is
doing in Afghanistan."
New Delhi is also discussing with Washington the
possibility of pursuing joint development projects with the
Afghan government in capacity building, agriculture and
women's empowerment, the envoy added.
Referring to India's relations with China, Shankar
said political representatives on both sides are engaged in
trying to find a way forward on the "unresolved border
dispute."
While the two countries may not have made the kind of
progress they would have hoped for in resolving the border
dispute, "we have sought to maintain tranquility on our
borders, striven to resolve disputes through dialogue, improve
mutual trust and confidence and expand our economic and
political engagement."
"Our relationship with China is not only important for
the two countries but its course will have a strong bearing on
the future of the region. Together the two countries can power
Asian and global prosperity," she added.
Referring to the revitalised growth in India's
relations with countries in West Asia, Shankar said India is
conscious of the need to objectively address Iran's nuclear
issue.
"We have maintained that Iran should fulfill its
obligations as a signatory to the NPT regime, while having the
right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy."
As the centre of gravity of global opportunities
shifts "rapidly" to the Asia-Pacific region, the US has a role
and stake in the future of Asia, Shankar said, adding that an
important aspect of the Indo-US "transformed relationship" is
the increasingly global nature of partnership between the two
countries.
India and the US will soon be launching a new Homeland
Security dialogue to further strengthen operational
cooperation, counter-terrorism technology transfers and
capacity building.
Non-proliferation and disarmament, which were marked
by sharp differences in the past, are emerging as another
area of cooperation between the two countries, Shankar said.