Terrorism, more specifically that emanating from Pakistan, figured prominently in marathon talks between Kerry and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who briefed him extensively on the “continuing problem of cross-border terrorism that India and the larger region face from Pakistan”.
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Kerry agreed. “We can not and will not distinguish between good and bad terrorists… Terror is terror, no matter where it comes from”. “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”. “Through Kerry, I would like to request the U.S. Government to be careful while helping Pakistan so that it does not fall into bad hands”, Tyagi told ANI.
“It is vital that Pakistan join other nations in tackling these issues [terrorism and sanctuary for militants]”, he had said on Tuesday, seeming to tacitly support India’s position that peace talks and terrorism can not go hand-in-hand.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in India on Monday on a three-day visit, has extended his stay in India before leaving for China to join President Barack Obama at the G-20 Summit.
Terror remained top of the agenda in the second round of Indo-US Strategic and Commercial dialogue held in New Delhi.
The nations also reaffirmed pledges to boost cooperation on climate change and clean energy development, including pressing ahead with the previously agreed construction of six nuclear reactors by the US firm Westinghouse.
“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.
Kerry described the talks with India as “constructive” and said the sides had made headway on a variety of issues, including cyber-security and expanded cooperation on terrorist screening.
“We also had a detailed exchange of views on climate change and clean energy issues”, she said.
India’s Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, said she hoped the next USA president would continue the dialogue that also seeks inputs from companies, which this year included e-commerce giant Amazon and wireless technology firm Qualcomm. He said, both countries worked together in Nepal during the devastating quake, evacuated the people trapped in war-torn Yemen and trained peace-keepers in Africa.
Among the major projects India has completed in Afghanistan in recent times are a new wing of the parliament inaugurated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kabul on December 25 last year and the reconstructed Salma Dam, renamed Afghan-India Friendship Dam, operationalised in June this year. “But it’s going to take a while and one has to work through that”, Kerry said here during a townhall meeting at IIT Delhi.
Kerry said on Tuesday that Islamabad should not feel isolated by fresh talks that are planned between the United States, India and Afghanistan next month in NY.
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“We agree on additional measures to strengthen our counterterrorism”, said Swaraj.
