Indo-US talks on counter-terrorism

Terror attack in Mumbai will lend a sharper edge to the discussions US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will have with Indian leadership next week as part of Indo-US strategic dialogue that will also focus on situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and nuclear cooperation apart from counter-terrorism.
    

Noting that India and the US were "much closer" and the security exchanges were more frequent, charge d' affaires Peter Burleigh today said both sides are committed to a "long-term" partnership which covers almost every conceivable issue from education to counter-terrorism in the bilateral relationship.
    

"We are committed to this important relationship with India with regard to cooperation in counter-terrorism and security concerns and we will be as responsive as we can be.

"We have very close relationship with India in counter- terrorism and security issues, that has thickened and broadened dramatically over the past couple of years. The process has been going for several years but particularly after Mumbai attacks in 2008. We have been intimately involved," he told reporters here.
    

Asked if the US had any intelligence input on yesterday's attack, the envoy said, "Not to the best of (my) knowledge" while noting that apart from exchanging views on various groups and challenges that confront both the countries, the US shares any kind of information that "impacts security of India".
    

On a query whether the US will grant access to India to terrorists David Headley and Tahawwur Rana, currently in custody of the US, he said, "This is something we continue to discuss, US inclination is to be accommodating to Indian request but judicial process makes it more complex.