Lashkar, Al Qaeda two sides of the same coin, co-equal threat: Holbrooke
By ANIThursday, July 22, 2010
NEW DELHI - US President Barack Obama’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard C. Holbrooke, on Thursday said here that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is co-equal threat along with Al Qaida.
“The LeT, al Qaeda and Taliban are all working closer together than ever before. The terror groups want to create a crisis between New Delhi and Islamabad,” Holbrooke told media during a seminar on South Asian security held here.
He also said that better U.S.-Pakistan relations “are better for India too”.
“India has a legitimate interest in Afghanistan. Pakistan-Afghanistan trade agreement doesn’t cut out India. Afghanistan can send goods to India and all future India- Pakistan trade agreements can include Afghanistan also,” Holbrooke said.
Holbrooke also said that Al Qaida and the Haqani group of the Taliban are equally dangerous and ruled out any reconciliation with the terrorist groups.
“India’s role in Afghanistan is not diminished. It is for India to decide what it wants its role to be in Afghanistan. U.S. will back any efforts for better relations between India and Pakistan,” Xinhua news quoted him, as saying. (ANI)
