Action against 26/11 plotters, dismantling LeT, ‘red lines’ for Indo-Pak dialogue: US

WASHINGTON - The United States has made it clear that while it supports any Indo-Pak dialogue, Islamabad has to first take substantial action against the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and also reign in India centric militant organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), before they can begin in right earnest.

Speaking during a briefing following the conclusion of the first ever strategic dialogue between India and the United States, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake said that Washington has always been interested in establishing peace between the two South Asian neighbours,

Putting aside Islamabad’s continuous demand for resolution of the long pending Kashmir issue, Blake said that it was more important at this time for it to speed up the trial of the Mumbai attack conspirators, who are currently in custody of the Pakistani authorities.

“I don’t think Kashmir is really the question that’s on the table now. The real question right now is to first get some progress on the trial of the Mumbai suspects, those who are already in custody in Pakistan,” Blake said in response to a question as to what the White House has been doing to help the two sides resolve the Kashmir dispute.

“And also from the Indian perspective to see progress by Pakistan on stopping actions by Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Punjab-based terrorist groups against India,” The Dawn quoted Blake, as adding.

These two, he said, were “really the redlines” for re-establishing the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan.

The top US official also rejected the notion that India was worried that Washington might sacrifice New Delhi’s interests as it sought Pakistan’s help in Afghanistan.

“I don’t think India really is worried about that. We’ve had extensive talks with our Indian friends, not only during the course of this strategic dialogue but previously,” Blake said. (ANI)