Q.2499 Pressure on Pakistan through US & Russia

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether US Government is not serious to put pressure on Government of Pakistan to handover militants who are sheltered in Pakistan and actively involved in anti-Indian activities despite US Government’s high influence over Pakistani Government;
(b) Government’s reaction in this regard;
(c) whether there is any agenda to utilise influence of Russian Government for cooling down tension with China as Chinese activities at PoK and India-China international border have been increasing; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)

(a) & (b) During the visit of US President Obama to India on 6-9 November 2010, PM and President Obama reiterated that regional and global security required elimination of safe havens and infrastructure for terrorism and violent extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Condemning terrorism in all its forms, the two sides agreed that all terrorist networks, including Lashkar e-Taiba, must be defeated and called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
President Obama also stated in his address to the Members of Parliament on 8 November 2010 that the US will continue to insist to Pakistan's leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders are unacceptable, and that terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks must be brought to justice.

Further, the US has conveyed that it will seek to ensure that its security assistance to Pakistan is not utilized against India. In 2009, the United States Congress passed the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act, which inter alia, stipulates, in the context of security assistance to Pakistan, that Pakistan should close terrorist camps including those of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammed; cease all support to extremism and terrorist groups; and, prevent attacks into neighbouring countries.

(c) & (d) Government of India has a range of political discussions with the Government of the Russian Federation at various levels on a number of bilateral, regional and global issues, including India’s relations with neighbours.

Several issues of common concern are also discussed in the India-Russia-China trilateral format.

http://www.mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=220116826.

Rajya Sabha