New Delhi: India on Thursday rejected the suggestion
that it expressed satisfaction over "the progress on Mumbai
trial" in the Joint Statement issued after the meeting between
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and his Pakistani
counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar on Wednesday.
The clarification came in the wake of many media reports
claiming that India did a 'goof-up' over the 26/11 issue in
the Statement which read "The ministers reviewed the status of
bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction on the holding
of meetings on the issues of counter- terrorism (including
progress on the Mumbai trial)..."
"We categorically reject inferences that there was any
expression of satisfaction on 'the progress on Mumbai trial.
The language of the Statement is very clear in this regard.
The holding of the meetings on various issues is a step
forward given that for over two years, our substantive
dialogue had remained suspended and this has been acknowledged
in the Statement," the spokesperson in the Ministry of
External Affairs said.
It may be recalled that under the resumed dialogue
"Counter Terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial)" is
the subject of the Home Secretary-level talks, as announced in
in the Agreed Outcome document after the Foreign Secretary-
level talks held in February in Thimphu, he said.
"India has, time and again, clearly expressed its concern
and disappointment with Pakistan about the lack of progress in
the Mumbai attack trial and bringing those responsible for
this heinous terrorist attack to justice. The matter was
forcefully raised by the External Affairs Minister in his
meeting with his Pakistani counterpart" yesterday, he said.
This issue was also the focus of the Home Secretary-level
talks on March 28-29, 2011, in New Delhi and was taken up
"vigorously" at the Foreign Secretary-level talks on June 23-
24, 2011, in Islamabad and on July 26, 2011, in New Delhi, he
said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, July 28, 2011, 22:08