ISI chief involved in recent talks: Singh

NEW DELHI (AFP/Reuters) - Indian Premier Manmohan Singh has voiced hope that Pakistan will promise
action against those behind the Mumbai attacks when he meets his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani
next week.
The discussions, on the margins of the global NAM summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh,
will be the second high-level contact between the two sides since the Mumbai raids.
I do hope that after our meeting we will have a reaffirmation on the part of Pakistan that they will bring the
perpetrators of the Mumbai massacre to justice, Singh told reporters on his way back from the G8 nations
meeting in Italy, the Press Trust of India reported. Singh said he also hoped Islamabad would implement a
five-year-old pledge not to allow use of their (Pakistani) land to terrorist elements working against India. If they
do that we are willing to walk more than half the distance to normalise the relations.
The Indian Premier said New Delhi wants to resolve differences with Islamabad but Pakistan must help by
clamping down on what he called militants such as those who attacked Mumbai last year.
We will do all that is necessary to resolve all outstanding issues that have bedevilled Indias relations with
Pakistan, Singh said.
But it requires credible action on the part of Pakistan to deal with terrorist elements directing their energy to
disrupt and destabilise our economy and polity, he added.
Monitoring Desk adds: Stating that he had not 'given up despite difficulties in dealing with Pakistan, Singh
disclosed that representatives of the two countries including the ISI chief had been involved in discussions
recently.
Ahead of the meeting he will have with Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani in Egypt next week, Singh said that after the
discussions between him and President Zardari in Russia last month 'there have been discussions between the
High Commissioners and with the ISI chief and the Foreign Office.
Singh gave no indication of how and with whom from the Indian side the ISI chief Shuja Pasha held discussions
but said, They (the Pakistani side) have given some suggestions ....some information on what they are doing
about punishing those behind the Mumbai massacre.
Now we hope they would take some steps in that direction and with this hope I will meet Gilani, he told
reporters on board his special plane while returning home from Italy, reported Times of India.
Singh also sought to assuage Pakistani public opinion by making it clear that he had not intended to hurt
Zardaris feelings in any way when he had told him in the presence of the media that 'my mandate is limited to
telling you that the territory of Pakistan must not be allowed to be used for terrorism against India.
I simply forgot that the media was present there, he said in reference to his meeting with Zardari in
Yekaterinburg in Russia.
Singh asked the world leaders to mount pressure on Islamabad for combating the menace of terrorism
emanating from its soil and come to the path of friendship with India.
On way back home from the G8 plus G5 meeting in Italy, Singh said that during his interactions with leaders of
these countries, he broached the subject with them and said pressure should be brought on Pakistan not to allow
its territory for attacks on India.
In his 'pull-aside meeting with US President Barack Obama, Singh said the issue of Pakistan was taken up.
Looking forward to his meeting with Gilani, he demanded 'credible action by Pakistan to deal with terror
elements trying to destabilise Indian economy and hoped that Islamabad would do more to bring perpetrators of
Mumbai attacks to justice and not allow its territory to be used for attacks on India.
Singh hoped that during his meeting with Gilani there would be 'renewed reaffirmation on part of Pakistan that it
will bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai massacre to justice and Pak territory is not used for such activities. If
that is done, we are willing to walk more than half the path.
Admitting that there were difficulties in resolving issues with Pakistan, Singh said, We have not given up hope.