EGYPT: Indian PM says there can be no peace talks before Mumbai attackers face justice but that dialogue with Pakistan must continue

Record ID: 379263

  • Title: EGYPT: Indian PM says there can be no peace talks before Mumbai attackers face justice but that dialogue with Pakistan must continue
  • Date: 17th July 2009
  • Summary: SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT (JULY 16, 2009) (REUTERS) INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH ENTERING THE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, SAYING: "The prime minister of Pakistan did bring up this thing when I brought up that terrorists aided and abetted and inspired form the Pakistan side. He said in his country people say India is active and I said that our contact is an open book. We are willing to discuss all the issues because we are doing nothing and I said to him that I have been told several times that Indian consulate in Afghanistan are engaged in undesirable activities and I said that these consulates have existed not today. They were set up way back in the 50's but if you have any evidence we are willing to look at it because we are an open book and we are not afraid of discussing any of these issues." SINGH SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, SAYING: "What I was seeking from the Pakistani prime minister was a reassurance that acts like Mumbai will not happen ever again. I told him that if that happens that would be an intolerable strain in our relations and it will upset the whole process of moving forward with any type of dialogue. He said to me that I do recognise what you are saying. Give us information on a real time basis whenever any such threat exists. You test us and we will work with India to prevent such a thing happening again." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, SAYING: "There is a history to it but it is true that I am not accusing the present Pakistan government of active involvement. There is a past history and I did mention that it is a strong conviction of ours that there are official elements who were fraternising with terrorist movements but I did not include the present democratic establishment of Pakistan of being of the same mind set." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, SAYING: "I still believe that with all the uncertainties we have an obligation to engage Pakistan." INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH SPEAKING
  • Embargoed: 1st August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVACTNTY1OWSK43M0GZ7KBI3TJ18
  • Story Text: India said on Thursday (July 16) formal peace talks with Pakistan could not resume until those behind last year's Mumbai attacks were brought to justice.
    Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was speaking after talks in Egypt with Pakistan premier Yusuf Raza Gilani, quashing any immediate hopes Islamabad had of reviving five-year-old "composite dialogue" on all disputes between the rival nations.
    "What I was seeking from the Pakistani prime minister was a reassurance that acts like Mumbai will not happen ever again. I told him that if that happens that would be an intolerable strain in our relations and it will upset the whole process of moving forward with any type of dialogue. He said to me that I do recognise what you are saying. Give us information on a real time basis whenever any such threat exists. You test us and we will work with India to prevent such a thing happening again," Singh said.
    Thursday's meeting on the sidelines of a Non-Aligned Movement summit was the third high-level encounter between the two neighbours since the Mumbai assault.
    "I am not accusing the present Pakistan government of active involvement. There is a past history and I did mention that it is a strong conviction of ours that there are official elements who were fraternising with terrorist movements but I did not include the present democratic establishment of Pakistan of being of the same mindset," Singh said.
    Earlier, Singh said in his address to Non-Aligned Movement delegates that the "infrastructure of terrorism" needed to be dismantled, a comment clearly directed at Pakistan but he said dialogue with Pakistan must continue.
    "I still believe that with all the uncertainties we have an obligation to engage Pakistan," he added.
    After their talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the two prime ministers issued a joint statement agreeing to cooperate on fighting terrorism and ordering senior diplomats to continue to meet as often as needed.
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