US wants 'accountability' from Pakistan on 26/11

WASHINGTON: The US has reiterated that it wants accountability from Pakistan on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives.

"We've been very clear that we want to see accountability and justice in the case of the Mumbai attacks, and as you noted, there were American citizens who lost their lives in that - those terrible attacks," US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in Monday's daily press briefing in response to a question about Secretary of State John



Source:-indiatimes
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John Kerry extends stay, will now fly to China: Diplomatic message to Beijing?

Pakistan. This could be a couched message of re-hyphenating India, but now with its eastern neighbour China.

Earlier, Kerry's plan to visits to a temple, mosque and a gurdwara, a choice some were viewing as a subtle iteration of the concerns on religious freedom, got washed away due to heavy rains that lashed Delhi on Wednesday morning. He was expected to visit Gurdwara Sisganj Sahib, Jama Masjid and Gauri Shankar temple – all located within a kilometre of one another – in Chandni Chowk, before he flies out.

Kerry, while speaking at IIT Delhi had a clear message, saying "We have to respect rights of all our citizens irrespective of creed and allow them to protest in peace without fear that they will be jailed". This comes in the backdrop of the sedition case that was filed against Amnesty International in Bengaluru for holding an event on Kashmir. The secretary of state was originally supposed to visit religious places ahead of official talks, but was rescheduled on the day or his departure a day after talks to avoid any prospect of the symbolism in his visits clouding the talks.

Since his landing in Delhi, downpour and water-logging first brought his cavalcade standstill on September 29 and then on Wednesday played spoil spot to his visit to old Delhi. For over two hours on Wednesday morning Delhi received torrential rainfall, resulting in serpentine traffic jams at various places.

During his last official engagement the meeting with the Prime Minister Modi, Kerry briefed him about the outcome of the 2nd India-US Strategic & Commercial Dialogue. He also shared US perspective on developments in the region and beyond. Sources said while the US secretary of state expressed concern at the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, he was told India's sincere efforts to bring peace in the region. On Tuesday as well, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj at length explained government efforts to buy peace with Islamabad. "When this government was formed, we invited Pakistan's prime minister to the oath-taking ceremony, even before the formation of the government. After that we took the initiative to re-start foreign secretary-level talks, but they did something which compelled us to cancel the talks.

"After that when I visited Islamabad, I returned with the decision of starting a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue. Later our Prime Minister visited Lahore, but we got Pathankot after coming back," she said, adding that India's minimum expectation was that there should be some action on the Pathankot issue. "Terrorism and talks cannot go hand in hand and we have already told them. Hence, it is not a thing to worry, but yes we do have an expectation and talks will resume only after some action is taken on this issue," she was quoted as saying.
Kissinger's extended stay in Pak and secret China missive

In 1971, then US Secretary of State Dr Henry Kissinger in a similar circumstances extended his stay, while he was in Pakistan. It was reported that he fell sick and flew to tourist resort Murree to take rest. But years later it was revealed that he had undertaken a secret visit from Islamabad to Peking (Beijing) during July 9-11, 1971. Premier Chou Enlai specifically had mentioned to take a direct flight from Islamabad either on Pakistan's airline or on a special plane sent by China to Pakistan. His visit opened the dialogue with China. The mission remained secret because the Americans were not sure of its success. Pakistan also guaranteed its secrecy.

Several Chinese leaders arrived in Pakistan and were waiting on a PIA's plane for Kissinger's group. Under the plan, Dr Kissinger would arrive in Islamabad and after 24 hours stay, he would disappear in a place in Northern Areas. In fact, he would fly by a PIA Boeing to Peking. A high-level Pakistani official would accompany him to Peking.

On his return from Peking to Islamabad, he would resume his onward journey.

Source:-Dnaindia
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Hope US changes its relative neutrality policy with Pakistan: JD (U)

Hailing the joint statement of US Secretary of State John Kerry and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the involvement of Pakistan in encouraging terrorism, the Janata Dal (United) on August 31 expressed hope that America changes its relative neutrality policy with Islamabad.

“I don’t know whether the assurances Kerry gave were equivalent to the emphasis with which the matter seems to have been made by Sushma Swaraj. I hope the United States changes its policy of relative neutrality as far as Pakistan is concerned, without understanding that terrorism is terrorism and is a danger to the world…be it India or the United States,” JD (U) leader Pawan Verma told ANI.

Expressing happiness that Swaraj spoke “bluntly” on the question of terrorism, Verma said this is a subject that India needs to discuss with the United States frankly and seek US intervention in leveraging and pressuring Pakistan to stop its support to terrorism.

Resonating similar sentiments, another JD (U) leader KC Tyagi also welcomed the joint statement.

“I welcome the joint statement of John Kerry and Sushma Swaraj. Through Kerry, I would like to request the US Government to be careful while helping Pakistan so that it does not fall into bad hands,” Tyagi told ANI.


The United States and India have agreed to boost counter-terrorism cooperation by expanding intelligence sharing about known or suspected extremists and terrorist threats.

Speaking after conclusion of the second US-India Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi with visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday said both countries also renewed their commitment to track down and prosecute perpetrators of several terrorist attacks on Indian soil, including the 2008 strike in Mumbai and a January 2016 attack on the Pathankot Air Force base. India has blamed Pakistan-linked groups for the attacks.

Swaraj said the two sides had agreed on the “urgent necessity for Pakistan to disable safe havens and terrorist networks” and “on the need to Pakistan to do more to bring the perpetrators of (the two attacks) to justice quickly.”

“We reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminals networks, including LeT, JeM and the D-Company,” she said.

On his part, Kerry said, “The US continues to support all efforts to bring the perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks to justice.”

Echoing the Indian foreign minister’s remark, Kerry also said that the US can’t and won’t make a distinction between good and bad terrorists.

“US stands with India on all matters of terrorism, no matter where it comes from; it’s crystal clear we are on the same view over it,” he said.

But he did say he had spoken recently with Pakistani officials about “the need for Pakistan to deprive any (terrorist) group of sanctuary.” He specifically named the Haqqani network that operates in Afghanistan as well as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been blamed for attacks in India.

“It is vital that Pakistan join with other nations in tackling this challenge, and in fairness, in recent weeks and months they have been moving more authoritatively,” Kerry said.


Source:-indianexpress
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On terror & Pak, meeting of minds with US: Sushma Swaraj

challenge, and in fairness, in recent weeks and months, they have been moving much more authoritatively in the western part of their country on some groups and the Haqqani network,” he said.
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Addressing the press with Kerry who is in New Delhi for the second Indo-US strategic and commercial dialogue and will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday, Swaraj said: “I am happy to note that there was a meeting of minds on this issue (of terrorism). I briefed Secretary Kerry on the continuing problem of cross-border terrorism that India and the larger region face from Pakistan.”

“We both agreed that nations must not maintain double standards, such as the categorisation of good and bad terrorists, nor must they act as sanctuaries and safe havens for terrorist organisations. We reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminal networks including Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and D Company,” she said.

Kerry said, “I have recently spoken to the (Pakistan) Prime Minister (Nawaz Sharif) and General Raheel Sharif regarding the need for Pakistan to deprive any group sanctuaries… It is well known that the Haqqani network and others operated out of the western part of the country. LeT, we all know and we all spoke out against, had an impact on India, directly.”

Asked about the escalating tension between India and Pakistan and if dialogue between the two sides would resume, Swaraj reiterated the Indian position that “terror and talks will not go hand in hand”.

She said India remains ready for talks with Pakistan but there are legitimate expectations that it will act against terror groups which have carried out attacks against India, including at Pathankot airbase. “And the talks can only resume if these expectations are met,” she said.

“Secretary Kerry and I also agreed on the need for Pakistan to do more to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot terrorist attacks to justice quickly.”

Indo-US meet, John Kerry visit, Sushma Swaraj, Kerry-Swaraj meet, terrorism, Pakistan, India, US, Indo-US relations, India news

Kerry echoed her: “Let me be clear, the United States continues to support all efforts to bring perpetrators of Mumbai and Pathankot attacks to justice… We stand fully behind the Indian demand that there be justice… We have had conversation with all members of the region frankly about the efforts they need to take to curb terrorism that comes out of their countries. That is true of everybody. Anywhere in the world. I think it is crystal clear that US and India are exactly in similar mind with respect to the issue of terror and the need to not only prevent it but to bring those to justice who perpetrate it.”

The two countries also agreed to boost counter-terrorism cooperation by enhancing intelligence sharing, screening of terrorists, exchange of information on known or suspected terrorists.

They also agreed to continue to work closely to get terrorist entities listed by the UN system, by coordinating the approach to the UN 1267 Committee. This assumes significance in the light of Indian efforts to get Masood Azhar designated as an international terrorist — a move being blocked by Beijing on technical grounds.

India and the US also agreed to resume a three-way dialogue with Afghanistan next month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The India-US-Afghanistan trilateral talks started in 2012, took place a second time in 2013 but were not held in 2014 and 2015.

Asked if close consultation with India on Afghanistan under the trilateral framework may result in Pakistan feeling isolated, Kerry said US appreciates India’s involvement in the war-torn country and “Pakistan will not feel isolated but encouraged” and work out a roadmap for itself in that country.

Swaraj thanked Kerry for his reiteration of continued US support to India’s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and permanent membership of the UN Security Council. “We both agreed that India’s enhanced global role is in mutual interest,” she said.



Source:-indianexpress
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