US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, who is on a mission to ensure the tension in the subcontinent after the ghastly terror attack on Mumbai does not escalate into a military confrontation
‘India will do whatever is necessary to protect its people’
NEW DELHI: US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, who is on a mission to ensure the tension in the subcontinent after the ghastly terror attack on Mumbai does not escalate into a military confrontation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, which will seriously hurt US interests, heard some tough talking by foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday.
Mukherjee did not react directly to Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari’s refusal earlier in the day to hand over 20 most-wanted terrorists, saying India did not have evidence they were Pakistanis. But at a joint news conference with Rice here he warned, “Our action depends on Pakistan’s response. We have given a demarche and are expecting a reply…the government is determined to do whatever it thinks is necessary to protect the integrity of the country and its people’s right to a peaceful life.”
The message from India is the ball is in Pakistan’s court. India’s carefully-calibrated stand is to give enough time to Islamabad to show its sincerity by delivering on its promises and then act.
Mukherjee kept all options open signalling to the US that India had every right to make whatever choice it deems fit, including armed strikes in Pakistan.
In his opening remarks, he thanked Rice, saying, “We greatly appreciate this gesture (of her coming to Indian in this time of sorrow).” He also made it clear the terrorists were from Pakistan and their controllers were working from Pakistani territory.
Rice also talked tough, remarking on Zardari’s comment that terrorists were “non-state actors”. She pointed out the fact that these elements were all working inside the territory of Pakistan and it was up to that government to take “quick and decisive action”.
To calm Indian anger, Rice said she was here to underscore the solidarity of the US with India. Saying she understood India’s “sense of vulnerability” and the desire to ensure this never happens again. Americans felt the same after 9/11, she said, promising all help to bring the culprits to justice. Rice said the attack was to send a message about India and its integration to the rest of the world. She was hinting at New Delhi’s growing warmth with the US.
She said the attack on Mumbai was to send a message about India and its integration with the rest of the world, hinting at Delhi’s growing warmth with the US.
On Pakistan, she repeated what she has been saying since the Mumbai attacks: “Pakistan needs to act with urgency and with resolve and a real sense of transparency.”
Asked whether the US saw al-Qaeda hand in the Mumbai attack, Rice said she will not jump to conclusions but it is “clearly the kind of attacks al-Qaeda participates in”.
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