Washington, Sept 28: India's view on terrorism in the region is increasingly being “believed and subscribed to”, Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao has said, even as the Obama Administration stepped up pressure on Pakistan to rein-in Haqqani network, which allegedly has links with ISI.
Rao said the India has repeatedly said that one can't have segmented approach when it comes to applying pressure on any terrorist groups.
One has to deal with all the groups that threaten peace and stability in the region, she argued.
“India's point of view (on terrorism) is increasingly believed in and subscribed to,” Rao said here at a panel discussion on India-US Strategic Relations organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Brookings Institute, a Washington-based think-tank, peace and stability in the region, she argued.
In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Rao said, the UN Security Council in a resolution said that those who provide sanctuary and provide assistance and support to terrorist organisations needs to accept the responsibility that they have to eliminate their influence they have on these groups and to desist from using these groups in any manner that creates instability in the region.
They have to cease using these groups as proxies to promote their interest in their neighborhood.
“I think this realisation is being shared,” she said.
Deputy Secretary of State, William J Burns said that US President Barack Obama has made it clear about the depth of US concern, not just about the Haqqani network, the threat that it poses to the United States, as well as to others in the region including Pakistan.
“But we also stressed the importance of not distinguishing among different extremist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Lashkar, as you know we regard in the US as a terrorist organization, as a threat to us, people of Pakistan as well as people around the world,” he said.
“So we believe there is a shared interest with Pakistan in fighting against those groups. We deeply believe that it is in Pakistan's interest to act against that threat.
We hope very much to see some action to reflect that kind of an understanding, because the threat is only increasing,” Burns said.
The US official said in the aftermath of the horrific attacks in Mumbai three years ago, counter terrorism cooperation between the United States and India has increased considerably.
“We attach high priority to it,” he said.
Referring to the meeting between Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and External Affairs Minister, S M Krishna, Rao said the two leaders devoted a lot of their time towards the situation in the region and Afghanistan in particular.
“Both our countries understand the major threat that we face particularly from terrorism emanating from our immediate neighborhood, from our region itself. So in that sense there is much value and both sides are willing for discussions on the subject and needs cooperation particularly on counter terrorism,” Rao said.
Earlier in her remarks, Rao said terrorism remains a challenge for India, as the recent attacks in Delhi have again reminded.
“The fight against the scourge of terrorism must be unrelenting. We have and will continue to take steps to improve our domestic capabilities to counter this threat,” she said. PTI
