New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has once again reiterated that as far he is concerned, there is no question of New Delhi redrawing the international boundary that separates Indian Kashmir and Pakistan Kashmir.
In an interview given to the Editor of Newsweek International, Fareed Zakaria, in CNN``s Global Public Square (GPS) program here ahead of his visit to Washington, Dr Singh said: "I have publicly stated that there will be no redrawing of public borders. Our two countries can work together to ensure that peace is maintained, that trade is made
free and ensure that encouragement is given for more people-to-people contact."
He said India``s stance on the so-called Kashmir issue was well known and well illustrated and there was really no need to elaborate on it further. The reality was that both Pakistan and India needed to work together to promote peace and encourage trade and people-to-people interaction in the region in the best way possible under the prevailing situation and context.
During the course of his nearly 45-minute-long interview with Zakaria, Dr. Singh reflected on several key issues, including how Pakistan had not done enough to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to book; prospects for the finalization of the US-India civil nuclear cooperation deal that has been on the negotiating table for the more than four years; how he expected the Obama White House to view India;
his assessment of what has caused the global financial meltdown and how India has coped with it and his view on India and China emerging as the economic power players of the Asian region.
Dr Singh used the interview to reiterate his unhappiness over Pakistan efforts in bringing the culprits of the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai to book.
"Pakistan has not done enough with regard to pursuing the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks."
Recalling his one-to-one interaction with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh in July this year, Dr. Singh said that when he raised the issue with Prime Minister Gilani, the latter had promised that his government would do the needful and take every possible legal step to bring the
persons responsible for the incident to book.
Yet, he said, that almost a year after the attacks that claimed over 170 innocent lives, militants like Masood Azhar and Hafeez Saeed, and other terrorists continued to move around freely on Pakistan soil, apparently with the backing of the Pakistan Government.
What was even more lamentable was the fact that the Indian Government has provided every and enough evidence demanded by Pakistan to substantiate the charge that the attack was commandeered from Pakistani soil, though seven dossiers collated by various investigative agencies, and each time, Islamabad has responded by saying that the evidence is not enough, faulty and unproven. Singh said.
"An active Pakistan (Government) would not allow this (free movement of terrorists)," said Singh.
He also expressed his concern and worry about the safety of Pakistan``s nuclear arsenal, and the possibility of it falling into wrong hands.
"We worry about these contingencies. But, we have been assured by the United States, the Americans," said Singh.
Dr Singh that India was not worried about the United States reported concerns on use of nuclear assets.
ANI
He said India``s stance on the so-called Kashmir issue was well known and well illustrated and there was really no need to elaborate on it further. The reality was that both Pakistan and India needed to work together to promote peace and encourage trade and people-to-people interaction in the region in the best way possible under the prevailing situation and context.
During the course of his nearly 45-minute-long interview with Zakaria, Dr. Singh reflected on several key issues, including how Pakistan had not done enough to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to book; prospects for the finalization of the US-India civil nuclear cooperation deal that has been on the negotiating table for the more than four years; how he expected the Obama White House to view India;
his assessment of what has caused the global financial meltdown and how India has coped with it and his view on India and China emerging as the economic power players of the Asian region.
Dr Singh used the interview to reiterate his unhappiness over Pakistan efforts in bringing the culprits of the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai to book.
"Pakistan has not done enough with regard to pursuing the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks."
Recalling his one-to-one interaction with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh in July this year, Dr. Singh said that when he raised the issue with Prime Minister Gilani, the latter had promised that his government would do the needful and take every possible legal step to bring the
persons responsible for the incident to book.
Yet, he said, that almost a year after the attacks that claimed over 170 innocent lives, militants like Masood Azhar and Hafeez Saeed, and other terrorists continued to move around freely on Pakistan soil, apparently with the backing of the Pakistan Government.
What was even more lamentable was the fact that the Indian Government has provided every and enough evidence demanded by Pakistan to substantiate the charge that the attack was commandeered from Pakistani soil, though seven dossiers collated by various investigative agencies, and each time, Islamabad has responded by saying that the evidence is not enough, faulty and unproven. Singh said.
"An active Pakistan (Government) would not allow this (free movement of terrorists)," said Singh.
He also expressed his concern and worry about the safety of Pakistan``s nuclear arsenal, and the possibility of it falling into wrong hands.
"We worry about these contingencies. But, we have been assured by the United States, the Americans," said Singh.
Dr Singh that India was not worried about the United States reported concerns on use of nuclear assets.
ANI
