Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
left here on Wednesday for Brazil after attending the Nuclear
Security Summit and holding talks with US President Barack
Obama, during which he asked him to press Pakistan to rein in
LeT and other terror outfits targeting India.
On the second leg of his eight-day two-nation tour, Singh
headed to Brasilia where he would attend the India-Brazil-
South Africa (IBSA) and the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC)
Summits on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
The prime minister, who held a 50-minute meeting with
Obama on Sunday during his four-day visit here, emphasised that
Pakistan needed to take "convincing action" against those
responsible for Mumbai attacks.
While talking about the menace of terrorism emanating
from Pakistan, Singh said, "Unfortunately, there is no
will on part of Pakistan to punish those responsible for
terrorist attacks in Mumbai."
"This is where partnership of India and the US could
make the difference," Singh told Obama.
Ahead of his departure to Brazil, Singh told reporters
that Obama had also assured him that India would get access to
Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley, who had
confessed to plotting the Mumbai attacks.
The two leaders, while reviewing the Indo-US ties,
expressed satisfaction at the "good progress" made in the
relations since they met last in November last year here.
The prime minister, who attended the Nuclear Security
Summit here yesterday, warned of dangers posed by nuclear
explosives falling into the hands of non-state actors posing
danger to India and other countries.
With Pakistan obviously on his mind, he pitched for
"zero tolerance" against individuals and groups which engage
in illegal trafficking of atomic explosives and announced at
the summit India's decision to set up a 'Global Centre for
Nuclear Energy Partnership'.
Though he had two brief encounters with his Pakistani
counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani here, Singh said he did not
discuss any bilateral issue with him.
The prime minister said he had only congratulated him on
the passage of a key constitutional reforms package in
Pakistan's National Assembly, lower house of Parliament, that
makes him "more powerful personality" in that country's
politics.
During his stay in Washington, Singh also met French
President Nicolas Sarkozy and discussed bilateral ties and
invited him to visit India.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2010, 18:45