Pakistan-based terror to figure in Russia talks
By Sarwar Kashani, IANSSunday, December 6, 2009
MOSCOW - The brand of terrorism that has its roots in Pakistan “will figure prominently” during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s talks with Russian leaders in Moscow, official sources said.
Manmohan Singh, who arrived in the Russian capital Sunday on a three-day trip, will ask Russia to “prevail upon Pakistan and ask Islamabad to honour its pledge to dismantle terror infrastructure on its soil.
“The issue of terrorism in Pakistan will figure prominently in talks between the prime minister and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a bilateral annual summit,” said an official, who is part of the delegation accompanying Manmohan Singh.
Manmohan Singh will hold annual summit talks with President Medvedev. He will also meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
India, the official said, believes that “Pakistan has to destroy the safe havens of terrorism on its soil for a lasting peace in the South Asian region”.
“The genealogy of terrorism is in Pakistan and Afghanistan and its needs to be weeded out,” he said.
He said that India has supported the US’ new Af-Pak policy of troop surge in Afghanistan with a hope that “Pakistan will be forced to take a credible and meaningful action against terrorists, including those who planned and executed the Mumbai attack”.
The official ruled out any plan of India sending its troops to fight Taliban in Afghanistan.
“We are assisting Afghanistan in rebuilding and reconstruction. Even some Afghan Army officers receive training at our defence colleges but New Delhi has no plans to send its troops to Afghanistan.”
India has pledged $1.3 billion for social, economic and developmental activities in Afghanistan.
“Our assistance will continue. We also have to look at it from a point of view of the Afghan government… what the Afghan government needs,” said the official.
