New York, September 28: India Sunday conveyed to Pakistan its serious concerns about terror groups in that country and demanded concrete and effective steps against these entities.
“We told Pakistan that India still has serious concerns about terror groups there and underlined the need for concrete and effective steps against these entities,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters after a two-hour meeting here with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
During what he described as a “useful, candid and constructive” meeting, India also told Pakistan that any meaningful dialogue process needs an environment free from violence.
While Pakistan has taken some steps against those behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Krishna underlined that a case against the attacks’ alleged mastermind Hafiz Saeed also concerns India.
India, however, rejected back-channel talks with Pakistan saying that if a front channel is open, there is no need of a back-channel.
The issue of Balochistan did not come up during the meeting, he said.
Ahead of Sunday’s talks, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Bashir Malik held a preparatory round here Saturday. The two diplomats discussed Jamaat-ud-Dawaa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed’s role in the Mumbai attacks.
The Pakistani side said it needs time to probe Saeed’s role in the attack.
The two secretaries also reviewed the 26/11 probe in detail.
–Agencies