PM meets Zardari, pushes for quick conclusion of 26/11 trial
During a meeting between the two leaders which lasted more than half-an-hour, Singh underlined India's
terrorism-related concerns.
The Prime Minister 'underlined our terrorism-related concerns. He pressed for an expeditious conclusion in 26/11
trial and said action take in this sphere (terrorism) would be a major CBM,' Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said briefing
reporters on the Singh-Zardari meeting on the sidelines of the 16th NAM summit here.
Singh was accompanied by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and other senior officials while Zardari had his son
Bilawal Bhutto, Foreign Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Interior Minister Rehman Malik in his team.
Singh told Zardari that action in Mumbai attack trial in Pakistan will be a major CBM, help in bridging the trust
deficit and build public support for the kind of relationship India would like to see between the two nations. Zardari reiterated his invitation to Prime Minister to visit Pakistan and Singh responded thanking him for the gracious invitation.
'The Prime Minister said he attached great importance to normalising relations with Pakistan and that he would like to
visit that country at a suitable time that is to say, he would like a well prepared visit,' Mathai said.
Reiterating India's desire for peaceful cooperative relations with Pakistan, Prime Minister Singh said there is a
need to proceed in a 'step-by-step, graduated' approach given the complexity of bilateral relationship it has with that
country.
Mathai said Zardari reiterated his country's commitment to bring to justice those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack.
The President agreed that terrorism posed a continuing threat to peace and security and referred in this regard to
some of the difficulties faced in his own country, he said.
The meeting came a day after the Indian Supreme Court upheld LeT terrorist Ajmal Kasab's death sentence in the
Mumbai terror attack case, strengthening India's case for action against others involved in the 26/11 strike in which
166 people were killed.
Singh said the action taken in 26/11 will be a 'major CBM that will help in bridging the trust deficit and will help in
building public support for the kind of relationship that we would like to see between the two nations', Mathai said.
Pakistan on its part said the Mumbai terror attack case trial was underway and that it would need to send another
judicial commission to India to cross-examine three witnesses in the case.
Mathai said that Indian government is taking a 'positive view' on the Pakistani request and said a judicial
clarification was needed on whether there can be a repeat visit of Pakistan Judicial Commission to India and cross-
examine the witnesses. The witnesses included a doctor and a Metropolitan Magistrate who recorded the statement of Kasab,
the lone surviving Pakistani gunman.
Singh said a stable and prosperous Pakistan acting as 'bulwark' against terrorism is in its own interest and that of
the region.
Singh and Zardari while reviewing the state of bilateral relations expressed satisfaction at the Foreign Secretary-
level talks so far and hoped that Krishna's forthcoming visit to Pakistan next week would provide an opportunity to take
stock of progress in the resumed dialogue and chart the course for the next round.
Noting that some achievements had been made, the two leaders hoped India and Pakistan would be able to prepare a
kind of roadmap for the way forward at the upacoming meeting.The two leaders also noted the progress made in several
areas, including bilateral trade and economic ties.
Zardari advocated regional economic cooperation, maintaining that Pakistan could be a catalyst in promoting
this effort.PTI
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