Ties With Pakistan: Rao talks of ‘difficult terrain’ ahead

Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao has said that while India has made ‘sincere’ efforts to reduce the trust deficit with neighbour Pakistan, it realises that achieving the goal will be difficult, The Economic Times has reported. Rao said “This is not going to be easy. There is a lot of difficult terrain ahead. We recognise that. We are realistic about it.” She said that trade and business between the two countries needs to be augmented and travel between India and Pakistan should be made easier. The ambassador said that India needs to urge its neighbour to realise the need to act upon terrorism on a mutual basis. Rao added that terrorism could trigger proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Relations between India and Pakistan have been plagued by border and resource disputes, and accusations of Pakistani militant activity against India.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2012.