Friday, April 16, 2010
New pledges to nuclear security
From The Hindu
After two days of negotiations during the Nuclear Security Summit here earlier this week, a range of national commitments towards strengthening the security of nuclear materials were made by attending countries, including a promise by the United States and Russia to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium.
Announcing the plutonium elimination deal, the two countries said they had signed a protocol to “amend and update” the U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) of the year 2000 — a “major step” in efforts to eliminate nuclear-weapon-grade materials, according to an official statement.
As per the protocol, both the U.S. and Russia are now committed to disposing of a minimum of 34 metric tonnes of excess weapon-grade plutonium with further disposition likely over time. According to the State Department and remarks made by President Barack Obama, the initial combined amount — 68 metric tonnes — represented “enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons”.
Following the announcement of the protocol Russian President Medvedev also announced the imminent shutdown of the country's last plutonium reactor, the ADE-2. According to reports the reactor has produced weapons-grade plutonium for nearly 52 years in the formerly secret Siberian city of Zheleznogorsk.
Mr. Obama highlighted a range of commitments made by the other countries attending the summit, saying the 49-nation gathering had made “unprecedented progress in confronting one of the greatest threats to our global security”, namely nuclear terrorism.
Mr. Obama mentioned Canada's decision to give up a significant quantity of highly enriched uranium, Chile's move to give up its entire stockpile and Ukraine's and Mexico's announcements to do the same.
In the context of the Megaports Initiative for detecting radioactive materials in containerised cargo, Mr. Obama said that Argentina and Pakistan had announced new steps to strengthen port security and prevent nuclear smuggling.
Mr. Obama also detailed the commitments of nations such as Argentina, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to join and strengthen the treaties and international partnerships “that are at the core of our global efforts”. He added that Italy, Japan, India and China would be creating new centres “to promote nuclear security technologies and training”.
Mr. Obama also said the U.S. had taken concrete steps to secure its nuclear materials further, and was joining Canada in “calling on nations to commit $10 billion to extending our highly successful Global Partnership” to strengthen nuclear security.
After two days of negotiations during the Nuclear Security Summit here earlier this week, a range of national commitments towards strengthening the security of nuclear materials were made by attending countries, including a promise by the United States and Russia to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium.
Announcing the plutonium elimination deal, the two countries said they had signed a protocol to “amend and update” the U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) of the year 2000 — a “major step” in efforts to eliminate nuclear-weapon-grade materials, according to an official statement.
As per the protocol, both the U.S. and Russia are now committed to disposing of a minimum of 34 metric tonnes of excess weapon-grade plutonium with further disposition likely over time. According to the State Department and remarks made by President Barack Obama, the initial combined amount — 68 metric tonnes — represented “enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons”.
Following the announcement of the protocol Russian President Medvedev also announced the imminent shutdown of the country's last plutonium reactor, the ADE-2. According to reports the reactor has produced weapons-grade plutonium for nearly 52 years in the formerly secret Siberian city of Zheleznogorsk.
Mr. Obama highlighted a range of commitments made by the other countries attending the summit, saying the 49-nation gathering had made “unprecedented progress in confronting one of the greatest threats to our global security”, namely nuclear terrorism.
Mr. Obama mentioned Canada's decision to give up a significant quantity of highly enriched uranium, Chile's move to give up its entire stockpile and Ukraine's and Mexico's announcements to do the same.
In the context of the Megaports Initiative for detecting radioactive materials in containerised cargo, Mr. Obama said that Argentina and Pakistan had announced new steps to strengthen port security and prevent nuclear smuggling.
Mr. Obama also detailed the commitments of nations such as Argentina, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to join and strengthen the treaties and international partnerships “that are at the core of our global efforts”. He added that Italy, Japan, India and China would be creating new centres “to promote nuclear security technologies and training”.
Mr. Obama also said the U.S. had taken concrete steps to secure its nuclear materials further, and was joining Canada in “calling on nations to commit $10 billion to extending our highly successful Global Partnership” to strengthen nuclear security.
Labels: Nuclear Security Summit, U.S.-Russian nuclear policy
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Pakistan – a notable absentee
From The Hindu
The one notable absentee from the list of national or country-level commitments made at the just-concluded Nuclear Security Summit is Pakistan, which finds no mention in a White-House issued document titled “Highlights of National Commitments at the NSS”.
The document lists commitments of 30 countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency, including India's commitment “Announcing the creation of a Nuclear Energy Centre with a nuclear security component,” and China's commitment “Announce cooperation on nuclear security Centre of Excellence”.
One mention of Pakistan's commitments came from President Obama himself, during a press conference at the close of the summit. Mr. Obama said: “Pakistan… announced new steps to strengthen port security and prevent nuclear smuggling.” This was a reference to the Megaports Initiative which aims to detect radioactive materials in containerised cargo. The National Nuclear Security Administration, responsible for the Megaports Initiative and the Secure Freight Initiative, also does mention that since the start of the Megaports Initiative in 2003, NNSA has completed installations at 27 ports including in Pakistan.
However a 2008 Congressional testimony on the initiatives by NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator David Huizenga suggests that Pakistan's enrolment in the initiatives significantly predates the Nuclear Security Summit.
The one notable absentee from the list of national or country-level commitments made at the just-concluded Nuclear Security Summit is Pakistan, which finds no mention in a White-House issued document titled “Highlights of National Commitments at the NSS”.
The document lists commitments of 30 countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency, including India's commitment “Announcing the creation of a Nuclear Energy Centre with a nuclear security component,” and China's commitment “Announce cooperation on nuclear security Centre of Excellence”.
One mention of Pakistan's commitments came from President Obama himself, during a press conference at the close of the summit. Mr. Obama said: “Pakistan… announced new steps to strengthen port security and prevent nuclear smuggling.” This was a reference to the Megaports Initiative which aims to detect radioactive materials in containerised cargo. The National Nuclear Security Administration, responsible for the Megaports Initiative and the Secure Freight Initiative, also does mention that since the start of the Megaports Initiative in 2003, NNSA has completed installations at 27 ports including in Pakistan.
However a 2008 Congressional testimony on the initiatives by NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator David Huizenga suggests that Pakistan's enrolment in the initiatives significantly predates the Nuclear Security Summit.
Labels: Nuclear Security Summit, Pakistan's nuclear policy
Unprecedented progress in confronting N-terror threat: Obama
From The Hindu
President Barack Obama marked the close of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit here saying that the 49-nation gathering had made “unprecedented progress in confronting one of the greatest threats to our global security,” namely nuclear terrorism.
He said that world leaders had focused on taking “tangible steps” and making “concrete commitments” to secure nuclear materials so that they could never fall into the hands of terrorists “who would surely use them”.
Citing numerous examples of such steps taken and commitments made, Mr. Obama mentioned Canada’s decision to give up a significant quantity of Highly Enriched Uranium, Chile’s move to give up its entire stockpile and Ukraine’s and Mexico’s announcements to do the same.
In the context of the Megaports Initiative for detecting radioactive materials in containerised cargo, Mr. Obama said that Argentina and Pakistan had announced new steps to strengthen port security and prevent nuclear smuggling.
The President also detailed the commitments of nations such as Argentina, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to join and strengthen the treaties and international partnerships “that are at the core of our global efforts”. He added that Italy, Japan, India and China would be creating new centres “to promote nuclear security technologies and training”.
Describing a “major development” in the course of the summit, Mr. Obama said that Russia’s announcement regarding the closure of its last weapons-grade plutonium production reactor would strengthen U.S.-Russia efforts to eliminate such plutonium from the world.
He said that this move would result in the elimination of 68 tonnes of plutonium for the two countries’ weapons programmes, which was “plutonium that would have been enough for about 17,000 nuclear weapons”.
Mr. Obama also said that the U.S. had also taken concrete steps to secure its nuclear materials further, and was joining Canada in “calling on nations to commit $10 billion to extending our highly successful Global Partnership” to strengthen nuclear security.
In bringing the summit to a close Mr. Obama outlined four key areas of agreement between the attending countries.
First, he said that there was agreement on the urgency and seriousness of the threat of nuclear terrorism. He said, “Coming into this summit, there were a range of views on this danger… Today, we are declaring that nuclear terrorism is one of the most challenging threats to international security.” He added that countries had agreed that the most effective way to prevent terrorists and criminals from acquiring nuclear materials was through strong nuclear security and preventing nuclear smuggling.
Second, Mr. Obama reiterated his satisfaction with the 49 countries’ endorsement of the goal to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world in four years — a goal that he had outlined in Prague a year ago. Even if this was an ambitious goal, “This is a goal that can be achieved,” he said.
Third, the summit attendees reaffirmed that it was their fundamental responsibility to “maintain effective security of the nuclear materials and facilities under [their] control [including] strengthening national laws and policies, and fully implementing the commitments we have agreed to”.
Finally, Mr. Obama explained, the nuclear terrorism threat “cannot be addressed by countries working in isolation”. To this end they had committed to a sustained, effective program of international cooperation on nuclear security, which included the plan for South Korea to host the next nuclear security summit two years on.
In concluding President Obama said that events such as the present summit ought to be considered as part of a larger, comprehensive agenda that he outlined in Prague based on the vision of peace and security in a “world without nuclear weapons”. In this context the new START treaty signed recently by Russia and the U.S. set the stage for “further cuts and cooperation between our countries”. Mr. Obama also underscored the new Nuclear Posture Review, which he argued would reduce “the role and number of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy”.
Looking to the future he indicated that the focus next month in New York would be on the NPT review a “cornerstone of our global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons even as we pursue greater civil nuclear cooperation.” All of these efforts are connected, he said, arguing that “When the United States fulfils our responsibilities as a nuclear power committed to the NPT, we strengthen our global efforts to ensure that other nations fulfil their responsibilities”.
President Barack Obama marked the close of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit here saying that the 49-nation gathering had made “unprecedented progress in confronting one of the greatest threats to our global security,” namely nuclear terrorism.
He said that world leaders had focused on taking “tangible steps” and making “concrete commitments” to secure nuclear materials so that they could never fall into the hands of terrorists “who would surely use them”.
Citing numerous examples of such steps taken and commitments made, Mr. Obama mentioned Canada’s decision to give up a significant quantity of Highly Enriched Uranium, Chile’s move to give up its entire stockpile and Ukraine’s and Mexico’s announcements to do the same.
In the context of the Megaports Initiative for detecting radioactive materials in containerised cargo, Mr. Obama said that Argentina and Pakistan had announced new steps to strengthen port security and prevent nuclear smuggling.
The President also detailed the commitments of nations such as Argentina, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to join and strengthen the treaties and international partnerships “that are at the core of our global efforts”. He added that Italy, Japan, India and China would be creating new centres “to promote nuclear security technologies and training”.
Describing a “major development” in the course of the summit, Mr. Obama said that Russia’s announcement regarding the closure of its last weapons-grade plutonium production reactor would strengthen U.S.-Russia efforts to eliminate such plutonium from the world.
He said that this move would result in the elimination of 68 tonnes of plutonium for the two countries’ weapons programmes, which was “plutonium that would have been enough for about 17,000 nuclear weapons”.
Mr. Obama also said that the U.S. had also taken concrete steps to secure its nuclear materials further, and was joining Canada in “calling on nations to commit $10 billion to extending our highly successful Global Partnership” to strengthen nuclear security.
In bringing the summit to a close Mr. Obama outlined four key areas of agreement between the attending countries.
First, he said that there was agreement on the urgency and seriousness of the threat of nuclear terrorism. He said, “Coming into this summit, there were a range of views on this danger… Today, we are declaring that nuclear terrorism is one of the most challenging threats to international security.” He added that countries had agreed that the most effective way to prevent terrorists and criminals from acquiring nuclear materials was through strong nuclear security and preventing nuclear smuggling.
Second, Mr. Obama reiterated his satisfaction with the 49 countries’ endorsement of the goal to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world in four years — a goal that he had outlined in Prague a year ago. Even if this was an ambitious goal, “This is a goal that can be achieved,” he said.
Third, the summit attendees reaffirmed that it was their fundamental responsibility to “maintain effective security of the nuclear materials and facilities under [their] control [including] strengthening national laws and policies, and fully implementing the commitments we have agreed to”.
Finally, Mr. Obama explained, the nuclear terrorism threat “cannot be addressed by countries working in isolation”. To this end they had committed to a sustained, effective program of international cooperation on nuclear security, which included the plan for South Korea to host the next nuclear security summit two years on.
In concluding President Obama said that events such as the present summit ought to be considered as part of a larger, comprehensive agenda that he outlined in Prague based on the vision of peace and security in a “world without nuclear weapons”. In this context the new START treaty signed recently by Russia and the U.S. set the stage for “further cuts and cooperation between our countries”. Mr. Obama also underscored the new Nuclear Posture Review, which he argued would reduce “the role and number of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy”.
Looking to the future he indicated that the focus next month in New York would be on the NPT review a “cornerstone of our global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons even as we pursue greater civil nuclear cooperation.” All of these efforts are connected, he said, arguing that “When the United States fulfils our responsibilities as a nuclear power committed to the NPT, we strengthen our global efforts to ensure that other nations fulfil their responsibilities”.
Labels: Barack Obama, Highly Enriched Uranium, Nuclear Security Summit
U.S., Russia agree plutonium disposition deal
From The Hindu
The United States and Russia on Wednesday announced the signing of a Protocol to “amend and update” the U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) of the year 2000. The Protocol was signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and represented a “major step” towards eliminating nuclear-weapon-grade materials, according to an official statement.
As per the Protocol both U.S. and Russia are now committed to disposing of a minimum of 34 metric tons of excess weapon-grade plutonium with further disposition of weapon-grade plutonium likely over time. According to the State Department the initial combined amount, 68 metric tons, represented “enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons.” In a press conference at the end of the Nuclear Security Summit, President Obama also quoted this figure.
The Protocol also seeks to ensure that weapons-grade plutonium is disposed in a safe, secure, transparent and effective way and strengthens barriers against accumulating new separated weapon-grade plutonium, the State Department said. It added that the amended PMDA would allow, “as appropriate, for International Atomic Energy Agency verification.”
The actual disposition is set to begin by 2018, once the necessary facilities have been established.
Russia to shut down last plutonium reactor
Following the announcement of the Protocol to update the PMDA on Tuesday, Russian President Medvedev announced the imminent shutdown of the country’s last plutonium reactor, the ADE-2. According to reports the reactor has produced weapons-grade plutonium for nearly 52 years in the formerly secret Siberian city of Zheleznogorsk.
In a statement about the shutting down of the reactor President Obama said, “I welcome this significant announcement from President Medvedev. This important step forward continues to demonstrate Russia’s leadership on nuclear security issues, and will add momentum to our shared global effort.”
Labels: Nuclear Security Summit
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Obama warns of nuclear terrorism
From The Hindu
Kicking off the first plenary session on the second day of the Nuclear Security Summit here, U.S. President Barack Obama underscored the gravity of the threat of nuclear terrorism, arguing that “just the smallest amount of plutonium, about the size of an apple, could kill and injure hundreds of thousands of innocent people ... Terrorist networks such as al Qaeda have tried to acquire the material for a nuclear weapon.”
Assuring the delegates of the 47 attending countries that Al-Qaeda would surely use nuclear materials as a weapon if they ever succeeded in obtaining it, he said, “Were they to do so, it would be a catastrophe for the world —causing extraordinary loss of life, and striking a major blow to global peace and stability.” In this light it was increasingly clear that the danger of nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to global, collective security.
Recalling his speech in Prague a year ago Mr. Obama said that he had called for a new international effort to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world within four years. Combined with the U.S.'s efforts to reduce its nuclear arsenal and halt the spread of nuclear weapons it was “an agenda that will bring us closer to our ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons.”
Mr. Obama said, “Over the past year, we've made progress. At the United Nations Security Council last fall, we unanimously passed Resolution 1887 endorsing this comprehensive agenda, including the goal of securing all nuclear materials.”
Labels: Nuclear Security Summit, Nuclear terrorism
Obama announces next nuclear security summit
From The Hindu
President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced that the next Nuclear Security Summit would be held in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in two years. He said that this would help to “ensure that our progress is not a fleeting moment, but part of a serious and sustained effort.”
Kicking off the first plenary session on the second day of the Nuclear Security Summit here, Mr. Obama said the summits provided the nations with the opportunity to take specific and concrete national-level actions to secure the nuclear materials, to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency, and to deepen international cooperation aimed at preventing nuclear materials from falling into the hands of terrorists.
President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced that the next Nuclear Security Summit would be held in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in two years. He said that this would help to “ensure that our progress is not a fleeting moment, but part of a serious and sustained effort.”
Kicking off the first plenary session on the second day of the Nuclear Security Summit here, Mr. Obama said the summits provided the nations with the opportunity to take specific and concrete national-level actions to secure the nuclear materials, to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency, and to deepen international cooperation aimed at preventing nuclear materials from falling into the hands of terrorists.
Labels: Barack Obama, Nuclear Security Summit
Obama is not like "the other one"
Notwithstanding all the messy politics he has gotten embroiled in since assuming office, U.S. President Barack Obama clearly still has millions of fans world over.
But it has to be a special sort of charisma that compels other heads of state to admit that they admire the man, and extol his best qualities.
It has to be an absolutely extraordinary sort of charisma that makes the very same admiring heads of state suggest that he is a marked contrast to certain others who stood in his shoes before him.
Yet, this is what transpired in an interview that ABC news channel had with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev:
ABC: You have met with Barack Obama many times, at least fifteen meetings and phone calls…
Medvedev: Sixteen times!
ABC: I knew there were fifteen but was not sure about the sixteenth. What do you make of Barack Obama, the man?
Medvedev: He is a very comfortable partner. It is very interesting to be with him. The most important thing that distinguishes him from many other people — I will not name anyone by name — he is a thinker, he thinks when he speaks.
ABC [Laughing]: You had somebody on your mind I think…
Medvedev [Also laughing]: Indeed I do have someone on my mind; but I do not wish to offend anyone. [Mr. Obama] tries to listen to his partner. This is an important quality for any politician… He also knows many issues in depth. I had never noticed with President Obama that he was unprepared on any question, and that is good. And above all, he is such a great personality to deal with!
Labels: Barack Obama, Medvedev, Nuclear Security Summit
Monday, April 12, 2010
Obama walks tightrope with Manmohan, Gilani
From The Hindu
Appreciates India's interest in Afghanistan; tells Pakistan that extremists do not distinguish between victims
India and the United States made a fresh push on Sunday to dispel the clouds of uncertainty hovering over their relationship in the wake of America's increasing dependence on Pakistan as a partner in its war against extremism in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama, accompanied by their top advisers, met here for 50 minutes on the eve of the Nuclear Security Summit. A few hours later, the U.S. President sat down with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan.
The U.S. President reassured Dr. Singh that he “welcomed the humanitarian and development assistance that India continues to provide to Afghanistan,” the White House said in a statement. Providing an Indian account of the discussions, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said President Obama told the Prime Minister the U.S. “fully appreciated India's interest in Afghanistan and recognised the enormous sacrifices that India has made in helping to stabilise that country.”
Mr. Obama also sought to put to rest speculation on America's reluctance to allow Indian investigators access to David Coleman Headley, the Lashkar-e-Taiba operative arraigned in Chicago for his role in the November 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Ms. Rao described the U.S. President as being “fully supportive of our request for provision of such access.”
In his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani, Mr. Obama said that “extremists do not distinguish between us and we are truly facing a common enemy,” a White House readout of the exchange said. Mr. Obama also sought to dispel Islamabad's fears that the U.S. had sinister designs towards the country's nuclear programme, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters later.
Playing his role as an economist to the hilt, Prime Minister Singh told Mr. Obama about the role the U.S. and G-20 could play in speeding up the recovery of the global economy. India was also playing a role in the “architecture of high economic growth,” he said, but warned that the terrorist onslaught in the region “could affect our growth prospects.” This terrorist menace should be tackled and this was an issue on which India and the U.S. stood on the same side, Ms. Rao quoted the Prime Minister as saying. “He said this with specific reference to what is happening in Pakistan and Afghanistan. How this menace was tackled would determine the future of the South Asian region, the Prime Minister said. He mentioned in this context the issue of David Coleman Headley and also the tremendous rise in infiltration across the Line of Control.” Dr. Singh also brought up the activities of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Ilyas Kashmiri, “as also the fact that unfortunately there was no will on the part of the government of Pakistan to punish those responsible for the terrorist crimes in Mumbai of November 2008,” Ms. Rao said.
Directly spelling out New Delhi's expectations, the Prime Minister said that this was an area “where the partnership of India and the United States could make the difference.”
According to Ms. Rao, President Obama said he shared Dr. Singh's vision of South Asia and that he favoured the reduction of tensions between the two countries. At this point, the Prime Minister stressed the need for Pakistan to take convincing action against those accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks, the Foreign Secretary said. She added that Mr. Obama fully understood Indian concerns about the LeT and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The U.S. was engaging Islamabad on these issues and would be sensitive to the concerns India has expressed in the context of American security assistance to Pakistan. Asked to elaborate what that meant, Mr. Rao said the issue would be monitored “keeping India's concerns in mind.”
Appreciates India's interest in Afghanistan; tells Pakistan that extremists do not distinguish between victims
India and the United States made a fresh push on Sunday to dispel the clouds of uncertainty hovering over their relationship in the wake of America's increasing dependence on Pakistan as a partner in its war against extremism in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama, accompanied by their top advisers, met here for 50 minutes on the eve of the Nuclear Security Summit. A few hours later, the U.S. President sat down with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan.
The U.S. President reassured Dr. Singh that he “welcomed the humanitarian and development assistance that India continues to provide to Afghanistan,” the White House said in a statement. Providing an Indian account of the discussions, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said President Obama told the Prime Minister the U.S. “fully appreciated India's interest in Afghanistan and recognised the enormous sacrifices that India has made in helping to stabilise that country.”
Mr. Obama also sought to put to rest speculation on America's reluctance to allow Indian investigators access to David Coleman Headley, the Lashkar-e-Taiba operative arraigned in Chicago for his role in the November 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Ms. Rao described the U.S. President as being “fully supportive of our request for provision of such access.”
In his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani, Mr. Obama said that “extremists do not distinguish between us and we are truly facing a common enemy,” a White House readout of the exchange said. Mr. Obama also sought to dispel Islamabad's fears that the U.S. had sinister designs towards the country's nuclear programme, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters later.
Playing his role as an economist to the hilt, Prime Minister Singh told Mr. Obama about the role the U.S. and G-20 could play in speeding up the recovery of the global economy. India was also playing a role in the “architecture of high economic growth,” he said, but warned that the terrorist onslaught in the region “could affect our growth prospects.” This terrorist menace should be tackled and this was an issue on which India and the U.S. stood on the same side, Ms. Rao quoted the Prime Minister as saying. “He said this with specific reference to what is happening in Pakistan and Afghanistan. How this menace was tackled would determine the future of the South Asian region, the Prime Minister said. He mentioned in this context the issue of David Coleman Headley and also the tremendous rise in infiltration across the Line of Control.” Dr. Singh also brought up the activities of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Ilyas Kashmiri, “as also the fact that unfortunately there was no will on the part of the government of Pakistan to punish those responsible for the terrorist crimes in Mumbai of November 2008,” Ms. Rao said.
Directly spelling out New Delhi's expectations, the Prime Minister said that this was an area “where the partnership of India and the United States could make the difference.”
According to Ms. Rao, President Obama said he shared Dr. Singh's vision of South Asia and that he favoured the reduction of tensions between the two countries. At this point, the Prime Minister stressed the need for Pakistan to take convincing action against those accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks, the Foreign Secretary said. She added that Mr. Obama fully understood Indian concerns about the LeT and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The U.S. was engaging Islamabad on these issues and would be sensitive to the concerns India has expressed in the context of American security assistance to Pakistan. Asked to elaborate what that meant, Mr. Rao said the issue would be monitored “keeping India's concerns in mind.”
Labels: Barack Obama, David Headley, Manmohan Singh, Nuclear Security Summit, Yusuf Raza Gilani
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