Krishna in Pakistan to mark ‘new journey’, harps on Headley (Roundup)

ISLAMABAD - Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna arrived here Wednesday with a pledge to begin “a new journey” in improving relations with Pakistan but made it clear that Islamabad needed to act on confessions by terror suspect David Coleman Headley on the Mumbai terror attack.

Speaking to Indian journalists soon after arriving for talks here Thursday with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Krishna also said that the unrest in the Kashmir Valley, that has left 15 people dead in the past one month, was “an internal matter of India”.

Krishna placed emphasis on Headley’s reported admission to both the Indian and American interrogators to demand that Pakistan should act on the “overwhelming and irrefutable nature of evidence” on the involvement of Pakistani actors in the Mumbai attack of November 2008 that killed 166 Indians and foreigners.

The Pakistan-born American Headley, who is now in an American prison, has reportedly confessed to scouting high-profile targets in Mumbai that the Lashkar-e-Taiba could - and did - attack, plunging India-Pakistan relations to a new low.

“Headley’s interrogation has revealed many things… India expects some response. I am here to find out just what that response is,” he said, speaking in the heavily fortified and luxury Serena Hotel. “We expect a satisfactory response.”

Krishna, who took part in close-door discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the eve of his departure for Pakistan, said Islamabad “will have to act … with such overwhelming and irrefutable nature of evidence (presented) to any government”.

The minister said the frequent anti-India statements of Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed, considered the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, “provoke the people of Pakistan against India. Such tirade against India will not help smoothen our relationship”.

Asked what his response would be if Pakistan took up the issue of alleged human rights violations in the Kashmir Valley at Thursday’s talks, Krishna said: “Whatever is happening in Kashmir is an internal matter of India.”

Fifteen people, mostly young men, have been killed in firing by security forces during street protests in the Kashmir Valley since June 11.

Earlier, as he landed at Rawalpindi’s Chaklala Air Base, Krishna said his three-day visit “marks the beginning of a new journey in our efforts to build a peaceful, friendly and cooperative relationship between our two countries”.

He said he and Qureshi hoped to discuss “all issues of mutual interest and concerns that can contribute to restoring trust and building confidence in our bilateral relationship”.

While placing importance on Pakistan’s response to the Mumbai mayhem, India is keen that the talks should yield positive outcomes.

This could cover a relaxed visa regime, improved people-to-people contacts, additional trade, more cross-border trains and buses, as well as exchange of prisoners.

At the same time, Indian officials say that it will be difficult in the long run to carry on a meaningful dialogue until Pakistan takes credible, effective and transparent action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack.

Accompanying Krishna to Pakistan are Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and other senior officials.

Pakistan, which says it is approaching Thursday’s meeting “with a positive mindset”, wants to resume the composite dialogue process that India suspended after the Mumbai massacre.

Watching the India-Pakistan dialogue keenly will be the US, which feels that the two South Asian neighbours need to ease their tensions so that Islamabad can devote its military might to taking on the Taliban and Al Qaeda as Washington prepares to quit Afghanistan.