Krishna arrives in Islamabad in effort to rebuild trust in bilateral ties

External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna with Foreign Minister of Pakistan S.M. Qureshi before delegation level talks in Islamabad, on July 15, 2010.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna reached Islamabad today at the start of a three-day visit which he said marked the beginning of a new journey in the efforts to build a peaceful, friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries.

During his stay in Pakistan, Mr Krishna will hold bilateral discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi as part of the steps decided by their Prime Ministers in Thimphu in late April to reduce the "trust deficit" between the two countries.

"I bring with me the warm greetings of the people and Government of India for the well being of the people and Government of Pakistan. I would also like to convey our best wishes for a peaceful, prosperous and stable Pakistan," Mr Krishna said in a statement on arrival in Pakistan.

He said he was looking forward to his meetings with Mr Qureshi and his delegation.

"We hope to discuss all issues of mutual interest and concern that can contribute to restoring trust and building confidence in our bilateral relationship," he said.

Mr Krishna said he also looked forward to receiving feedback on the issues raised by Home Minister P Chidambaram during his visit to Pakistan last month on India's core concern of terrorism, particularly in the light of the discussions Mr Chidambaram had in Pakistan in the context of the interrogation of David Coleman Headley regarding the Mumbai terrorist attack of November 26, 2008.

"India is committed to resolving all issues with Pakistan through a peaceful dialogue and negotiations, based on mutual trust and confidence," he said.

Mr Krishna will also call on Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

"I am carrying with me a message of peace and friendship from the people of India and we hope to undertake this voyage of peace, however long and arduous, jointly with the Government and people of Pakistan," he said.

Mr Krishna's visit is in pursuance of the mandate given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr Gilani, during their meeting in Thimphu, Bhutan, on April 29, to their Foreign Ministers and Foreign Secretaries to work out the modalities of restoring trust and confidence in the relationship, thus paving the way for a substantive dialogue on issues of mutual concern.

During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit, Dr Singh had told Mr Gilani that India was willing to discuss all matters of mutual concern but the issue of terrorism was holding back progress in the relationship between the two countries.

Dr Singh had conveyed to Mr Gilani India's concerns about terrorism emanating from Pakistani territory and the slow progress in the investigations in the cases related to the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

As many as 166 people were killed in those attacks, which India blamed on elements based in Pakistan. After 26/11, India suspended its Composite Dialogue with Pakistan and said there could be no meaningful dialogue with that country unless it brought those responsible for those attacks to justice and dismantled the terrorist infrastructure on its soil used to plan and carry out acts of terrorism against India.

In February, in an effort to break the ice, India offered to host Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries.

That meeting between Ms Rao and Mr Bashir was held in New Delhi on February 25 and India kept the focus then on the steps being taken by Pakistan against terrorist groups operating from its territory against India.

Ms Rao had held talks with Mr Bashir again on June 24 in Islamabad. Later, Mr Chidambaram held a bilateral meeting with Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik in Islamabad on June 26 on the sidelines of a meeting of SAARC Interior Ministers.

In early June, the United States had granted a team of Indian investigators direct access to Headley, a US natioal of Pakistani origin held in Chicago and believed to be a Lashkar-e-Toiba activist and a part of the conspiracy behind the 26/11 attacks.

Headley pleaded guilty on March 18, 2010 in the Northern District of Illinois to 12 federal terrorism charges, admitting that he participated in planning the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, as well as later planning to attack a Danish newspaper.

The Indian investigators were aiming to find out from Headley the places he visited during his various trips to India. It is believed that Headley had conducted a recce of the sites where the attacks were carried out. It had also come to light that Headley had visited the area in Pune where the German Bakery is located. A blast in the bakery in mid-February had killed 17 people and injured about 50 others.

In mid-March, Headley entered into a plea bargain with the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.

As part of this, he has agreed to testify in any foreign judicial proceedings held in the United States by way of deposition, video conferencing or letters rogatory.

Headley and another suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani national, had been arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Chicago in October last year for alelgedly conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks in Denmark and India.

During his meetings with Mr Malik, Mr Chidambaram is understood to have told him about some of the findings made by the Indian team during their interrogation of Headley, especially about the role of groups and individuals based in Pakistan in the 26/11 conspiracy.

At the meeting between Mr Krishna and Mr Qureshi tomorrow, India will contine to keep the focus on the measures being taken by Pakistan against terrorist groups working against India and is likely to insist on evidence that Pakistan is doing all it can to bring those responsible for the 26/11 attacks to justice.

NNN