Pakistan

‘No option but to engage with Pak’

The US knows our views and they know what our concerns are, says India's national security adviser.

Express November 01, 2010

India has no option but to engage with Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday on board a flight from Vietnam.

“It is our policy to engage with Pakistan. That doesn’t mean we have to give up or surrender,” Singh said, adding that “I have often said that we can choose friends, but not neighbours. We are obliged to engage with Pakistan.”

Singh’s remarks came a week before President Barack Obama’s arrival in India. He added that the US and India’s relations have entered a new phase, Indian news agency IANS reported.

Manmohan Singh, who met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Hanoi for about 45 minutes, said there was a common desire to bring about a qualitative change in the relationship.

“India-US relations have entered a new phase. There is cordiality, there is understanding. It is our common desire to bring about qualitative changes in our relationship,” the prime minister told journalists.

We are strategic partners, he added.

In the run-up to Obama’s visit, the two sides are discussing the way to carry the civil nuclear relationship forward, said National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon.

Stressing that India has been accepted in the global civil nuclear community, Menon said India had adhered to the Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines and had a very good non-proliferation record.

He added that while the main topic of discussion when Clinton called on the prime minister was the upcoming Obama visit beginning Nov 6, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the situation in the region were also talked about.

“She welcomed the work we are doing in Afghanistan,” Menon said, adding that the US asked India to continue the task of reconstruction.

According to him, US arms to Pakistan are not related to counterterrorism and are certainly an issue. “The US knows our views and they know what our concerns are,” Menon said.

Manmohan Singh also pushed for peace and tranquillity pending a settlement on the border dispute with China and said both New Delhi and Beijing wanted a “practical solution” to their dragging border dispute that triggered a war in 1962.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, whom he met in Hanoi Friday, will visit India soon, the prime minister said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2010.

COMMENTS (10)

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @G.Khan, I have no idea what you mistook my statement as and what in Gods green earth are you talking about. Naxalite movement was born in 1960s and their ideology is economic rather than Religious like the Talibans. They dont go and blow themselves up in Temples or mosques and they dont attack Civilians. Their needs are economic in nature. If you think you somehow proved India is a vicious country and 'Hindus' are never to be trusted, go ahead. I wasn't expecting miracles anyway.

G.Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Anoop. ""Support and arming and training ideologically motivated Militants is ......" Thank you. That's all I wanted you to accept. This has established "who is the Real Terrorist". LOL Once we recognize the real Terrorist "India" , it is easy to fight against it. I just wanted to show everyone here what is your National character. How much you will succeed is we will see. And we will now establish another fact that Naxalites are also Idealogically motivated " for their survival and their children from the State Terror machinary of India.

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Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @G.Khan, Support and arming and training ideologically motivated Militants is a different thing. Pakistan has been hurt due to this more than India.

G.Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Anoop Well, that land will cease to exist to be your part one day just like Pakistan and Bangladesh did. It may take decades but finally What I say will happen. We Just support their right to be liberated. Thats all. And You will have to do that sooner or later !!!! Now, rest I will ignore.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @G.KHAN, The biggest card India has and the only one which matters is that India doesn't want anything from Pakistan whereas Pakistan wants a piece of land which is under India's possession. That fact can never change. Rest, I will ignore.

G.KHAN | 13 years ago | Reply @Anoop What card India has ? Enlighten me Please? I am very interested seeing some of those cards. Listen buddy, you are gonna run away from Afghanistan the moment US starts its withdrawl which is coming soon. You did the same thing when Soviets were defeated . You kept sitting in KGB's lap for 10 years and did everything possible through your intelligence services along with KGB to harm Pakistan. You had to return with the bitter taste in mouth when Soviet Union goit defeated. You never thought of that but you were quite certain that just after after fall of Dhaka you were getting a gonden opportunity just 8 years after it to harm Pakistan. However, that dream could not come true and you had to run in hurry when Taliban took over.Then you came back again in Afghanistan with the CIA and your intelligence agencies started playing the same game as they did in Bangladesh. Tahreek-e-Taliban are the open example we all know who trained and equipped them. We Pashtoons no matter if we are on this side of the border or that side we are Pashtoons anyway and we do not approve your presence in our region. We want to make it very clear it to you. Moreover, Afghanistan is a Muslim country and what genocide had you been doing of Muslims in India in general( Gujrat , Babri Mosque) and in Kashmir in particular , is not hidden from Afghans and Muslim world. They are also watching what you do with muslims in Kashmir. So let me tell you loud and clear, Road to Kabul Passes through Kashmir. You want to sit on kashmir for another 60 years go ahead but I am also certain of one thing that Kasmir will finally separate from you no matter how long it takes. And if they do it on their own then Road to kabul will be blocked forever. You remain where you are. Bingo. We don't need you anyway? For what? If we need a trustworthy neighbor we have it in the shape of China who always supported us even when you were trying to dismantle us. Therefore I am sorry no respect for you. And if you have the same urge to come and occupy Afghanistan as three previous superpowers did and finally had to retreat, then be my guest. Go and occupy Afghanistan: The Graveyards of Empires!!

Ali Sina | 13 years ago | Reply @Anoop, @Zubair, Let's tone down. No more goose-steps, please! Instead learn from the colonial past that it was petty squabbling between the Rajahs and Nawaabs which led to slavery under the Brits. China is a superpower today dictating what the American President should do. If there's any hope for the region and the world, it is an inevitable dehyphenated relationship between India and Pakistan.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @Zubair, If you think India doesnt have the better cards than Pakistan why hasn't Pakistan used the cards it has? "She just want to prolong Kashmir issue as much they can and about he arms Pakitan have the right to weapons from any where." --> Well, the Kashmir issue will never be solved according to Pakistan's wishes for the simple reason that India has what Pakistan wants but Pakistan doesn't have anything that India wants. This fact hasn't changed for the last 63 years and it will NEVER change.

Zubair | 13 years ago | Reply India do not have all THE cards, Atualy india is not A good neibouther to anyone. She just want to prolong Kashmir issue as much they can and about he arms Pakitan have the right to weapons from any where. India hesitate cuz she know deep down they have not case on Kashmir.UN have resolutions on Kashim as disputed land. So there it goes why india do not talk to pakistan ?

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply India should never hesitate to engage with any of its neighbours. With Pakistan, India has all the cards, why hesitate.

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