Pak should fulfill its commitments on terrorism: Pranab

New Delhi, Dec 22, 2008

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the Mumbai strikes and the attack on Kabul Embassy show that terrorism emanating from Pakistan is acquiring an increasingly dangerous dimension and continues to threaten peace and stability in this region and beyond.

Mukherjee was speaking at the Heads of Indian Missions Meeting in the capital and reiterated that all options are open at the Indian Envoys meet in the capital.

Mukherjee said the Mumbai strikes and the attack on Kabul Embassy show that terrorism emanating from Pakistan is "acquiring an increasingly dangerous dimension and continues to threaten peace and stability in this region and beyond."

Addressing a conference of Indian Ambassadors and High Commissioners in New Delhi, he said India has sought the support of the international community to put pressure on Pakistan to "deal effectively" with terrorism.

India has highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has to be dismantled permanently, he

told the first-of-its-kind conclave being held in the backdrop of a fresh chill in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.

"We are not saying this because we are affected but because we believe that it will be good for the entire world

and also for Pakistani people and society," he underlined.

Describing the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan as the "greatest terrorist danger to peace and security of the

entire civilised world," Mukherjee said "there has been some effort so far by the international community but this is not enough."

"Much more needs to be done (by the international community) and the actions should be pursued to their logical conclusion," Mukherjee said, adding India needs "effective steps" not only to bring to justice those responsible for Mumbai attacks but also to ensure that such acts of terrorism do not recur.

"Unfortunately, Pakistan's response so far has demonstrated their earlier tendency to resort to a policy of

denial and to seek to deflect and shift the blame and responsibility," the External Affairs Minister said.

He said India expects the "civilian government" of Pakistan to take effective steps to deal with elements within that country "who still continue the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy."

Mukherjee said India has "so far acted with utmost restraint" and is hopeful that the international community

will use its influence to urge Pakistani government to take effective action.

Later talking to reporters, Mukherjee said Pakistan cannot "shirk" its responsibility of fulfilling its "promises"

and "commitments" given to India on ending cross-border terrorism.

On whether military action could be one of the options, he shot back saying, "If you ask about military conflict, nobody will say about it in the media. There is a particular situation. We have kept our options open."

In his address to the Heads of Missions, he said India has continued with efforts to deepen engagement, either bilaterally or multilaterally, even by assuming a built-in asymmetry in responsibilities.

Citing the 7th July suicide attack on Indian embassy in Kabul, Mukherjee said steps were being taken to strengthen the security of Indian missions abroad so that such incidents

could be avoided.

The government is also in the process of classifying Indian missions in different categories depending upon threat perception and to provide them with requisite number of professionally trained security guards and security equipment, he said.

Warning that terror emanating from Pakistan is posing the "greatest danger" to the civilised world, India on Monday said it will use "all measures" to deal with the problem as it asked the global community to do "much more" than the efforts made so far which are "not enough".

Pressing Pakistan to take concrete action to ensure punishment to those behind the Mumbai attacks and prevent further terror strikes, New Delhi said Islamabad must dismantle the infrastructure of terror completely and hand over terrorists like chiefs of Lashkar-e-Taiba Hafiz Mohd Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad Masood Azhar.

Slamming Pakistan for not keeping its promise of ending cross-border terrorism, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India is "not closing any options".

Mukherjee said the Mumbai strikes and the attack on Kabul Embassy show that terrorism emanating from Pakistan is "acquiring an increasingly dangerous dimension and continues to threaten peace and stability in this region and beyond".

Addressing a conference of Indian Ambassadors and High Commissioners here, he said India has sought the support of the international community to put pressure on Pakistan to "deal effectively" with terrorism.

India has highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has to be dismantled permanently, he told the first-of-its-kind conclave being held in the backdrop of a fresh chill in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.

"We are not saying this because we are affected but because we believe that it will be good for the entire world and also for Pakistani people and society," he underlined.

Describing the terror infrastructure in Pakistan as the "greatest terrorist danger to peace and security of the entire civilised world," he said "there has been some effort so far by the international community but this is not enough."

Ensure conducive global environment for eco progress: Pranab

In the backdrop of the global financial crisis, government on Monday asked its envoys across the globe to ensure that the international environment remains conducive for the country's transformation and continued development.

Addressing a meeting of Ambassadors and High Commissioners in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee asked them to explore ways to manage the global financial crisis and place the country in a position to play a role in any future international economic or political structure.

Noting that the global financial and economic crisis posed "transitional challenges" for the country, he said "from our perspective, we need to see how we can manage the crisis and also place ourselves in a position so that we can play a role in any future global financial or political structure."

Mukherjee said the challenge before the government was to "shape a set of policies encompassing both the security and foreign dimension such that we can ensure an external environment conducive to India's transformation and continued development."

The country's economy has proven to be both outward looking, competitive and resilient, he said adding that Indian companies are no longer shy in exploring new opportunities.

"Our manufacturing (sector) is setting new standards and earning a healthy reputation," Mukherjee said, adding that "this can be utilized to enhance our reach and effectiveness in other countries." (ST-22/12)