We will continue to press 'hard' on Pak terror: Clinton

We can't tolerate safe havens for terror in India prompted by Pakistan : Hillary Clinton

NEW DELHI || Tue Jul 19 2011, 16:43 hrs  || iFACT AGENCIES: The US used an Indian forum to deliver a stern message to Pakistan, reminding it of its obligation to punish the 26/11 masterminds, but also acknowledged that there were limits to what it could do to goad Islamabad to take action against the perpetrators of the ghastly 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai. 

"We cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists anywhere," US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said at a joint press conference with foreign minister S M Krishna. 

Ms Clinton, who is visiting India barely a week after the triple blasts in Mumbai, opened the over-two-and-a-half-hour-long talks with external affairs minister Mr SM Krishna by expressing “sympathy and outrage over” the 13 July attack that killed 20 people and injured over 130. “We are allies in the fight against violent extremist networks,” she said. Ms Clinton held the second strategic dialogue with Mr Krishna and the two sides discussed a number of bilateral and global issues. Most importantly, the situation in Afghanistan and the terror infrastructure in Pakistan were discussed. 

While stating that the USA saw Pakistan as a key ally in the fight against terror, Ms Clinton said Pakistan has “a special obligation” to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to justice and stressed that the USA can’t tolerate “safe haven for terrorists anywhere”. “Perpetrators need to be brought to justice. We have urged Pakistan to do so. We continue to press Pakistan as far as possible. There is a limit to what the USA and India can do,” Ms Clinton said, while welcoming the revived peace process between India and Pakistan. Clearly stating the US position that talks between India and Pakistan are a step in the right direction, she said: “We think this is the most promising approach to encourage both sides to build more confidence between them and work to implement the kinds of steps that will demonstrate the improved atmosphere that is so necessary for us to deal with the underlying problem of terrorism.” 

India and the USA agreed to intensify their counter-terror cooperation and to resolve the ‘remaining issues’ to enable full civilian cooperation between them.  She did come out in support of India’s membership of elite nuclear clubs like the NSG, the Australia Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Missile Technology Control Regime that control the global flow of atomic equipment and fuel.
On another key issue of Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, Clinton said the US was "fully" committed to the pact with India but asked it to ratify the UN convention on nuclear damages and bring its domestic liability regime in line with international norms.

She also made it very clear that there were "issues" which required to be resolved by the two sides in the civil nuclear field. But she did not go into the specifics.

She also allayed fears that the recent Nuclear Suppliers Group decision to strengthen guidelines on transfer of Enrichment and Reprocessing Technology (ENR) will impact on the Indo-US deal, saying the 46-nation grouping's move should not be construed as detracting from the "unique impact and importance" of the pact between India and the US.