Resumption of cricket ties not dilution of Mumbai attacks demands: Indian FM
Salman Khurshid says Pakistan-India must work on issues on which consensus can be achieved.
GURGAON:
The decision to resume cricketing ties between Pakistan and India must not be seen as dilution of India's demand for action against the actors behind Mumbai attacks, said India's newly installed Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid, Hindustan Times reported on Friday.
"It is a conflict on which there must be delivery of expectations that we have but we don't want the clock to come to a standstill, clock does move forward...," he said.
Khurshid was addressing a press conference in Gurgaon.
The external affairs minister said "we are certainly concerned about issues that are related to accountability for unforeseen attack on our citizens and we expect all countries, including our neighbour country Pakistan to deliver on their frequently indicated promise of holding these people accountable."
Khurshid emphasised that for improving relations, both the countries should put issues with no immediate solution aside and work on matters on which consensus can be achieved.
"I don't think isolation or cutting off any contact or communication has ever helped," he said.
Pakistan is due to tour India between December 25 and January 6 to play two Twenty20s and a one-day international.
As many as 5,000 Pakistan cricket fans are also hoping that they will be allowed to travel to Banglore, the host city for the matches.
However, the radical Vishwa Hindu Parishad has called on the Indian government to cancel the tour till Pakistan takes action against the perpetrators of the 2008 attack.
The decision to resume cricketing ties between Pakistan and India must not be seen as dilution of India's demand for action against the actors behind Mumbai attacks, said India's newly installed Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid, Hindustan Times reported on Friday.
"It is a conflict on which there must be delivery of expectations that we have but we don't want the clock to come to a standstill, clock does move forward...," he said.
Khurshid was addressing a press conference in Gurgaon.
The external affairs minister said "we are certainly concerned about issues that are related to accountability for unforeseen attack on our citizens and we expect all countries, including our neighbour country Pakistan to deliver on their frequently indicated promise of holding these people accountable."
Khurshid emphasised that for improving relations, both the countries should put issues with no immediate solution aside and work on matters on which consensus can be achieved.
"I don't think isolation or cutting off any contact or communication has ever helped," he said.
Pakistan is due to tour India between December 25 and January 6 to play two Twenty20s and a one-day international.
As many as 5,000 Pakistan cricket fans are also hoping that they will be allowed to travel to Banglore, the host city for the matches.
However, the radical Vishwa Hindu Parishad has called on the Indian government to cancel the tour till Pakistan takes action against the perpetrators of the 2008 attack.