Russia joins India in asking Pak to punish 26/11 perpetrators

G Sudhakar Nair

Moscow, Dec 7 (PTI) Russia Monday backed India's
demand that Pakistan punish the perpetrators of the Mumbai
terror attacks.

A joint statement issued after talks between Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Dmitry Medvedev
said, "Russia expresses solidarity and support for India's
demand for bringing to book the perpetrators of the Mumbai
terror attacks."
At a joint press conference with Medvedev, Singh
said "existing instrumentalities" should be invoked to put
pressure on countries which continue to encourage terrorist
activities, a veiled reference to the need for focussed
strategies to combat terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
Singh's assessment on ways to deal with terrorism was
shared by Medvedev who said the two countries are suffering
from terror attacks and there should be intensified global
cooperation to evolve counter-terrorism strategies.
"We should use every means to have pinpointed action
against terrorism," Medvedev said, adding that that the two
countries should consolidate their counter-terrorism
strategies which could be one of the "main" areas of bilateral
cooperation.
Warning that the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan
was not satisfying, the Russian President said utmost care
should be taken that nuclear assets in Pakistan do not fall
into the hand of terrorists and extremists.

Medvedev said the safety of nuclear weapons was a
"sensitive issue".
"There is a need to ensure that nuclear assets are in
safe hands and do not fall into the hands of extremists," the
President said in an apparent reference to situation in
Pakistan in the backdrop of reports of a threat of extremist
and terror elements taking control of atomic assets in that
country.
During discussions on regional issues at the one-on-
one meeting and at the delegation level talks, Singh said
India and Russia have agreed to enhance their cooperation to
meet the grave challenges of terrorism and religious extremism
that emanate from "our region and threaten both our
societies."
"Both India and Russia have an interest in a stable,
prosperous and moderate Afghanistan, and we have agreed to
regularly consult each other on the important issue," he said.
PTI GSN