New Delhi: India is seeking Saudi Arabia's cooperation in getting Pakistan to move against terror groups based on its soil.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal was briefed on India's investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks so far and the evidence of the Pakistani link by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi.
After meeting Mukherjee, al-Faisal urged cooperation of all nations in ending terrorism.
Saudi Arabia is a close ally of Pakistan and is known to have considerable influence over Islamabad. India also asked for greater effort to monitor and cut the flow of funds from Saudi Arabia to Pakistani terror groups.
At a joint media interaction with his Saudi counterpart after the talks, Mukherjee said terrorism is not an issue between India and Pakistan but a global menace.
"It was agreed that global terrorism has to be dealt with by joint action among all countries. We further agreed that whatever action has to be taken to control terrorism, should be taken without delay and in a transparent manner," Mukherjee said.
"The Foreign Minister of the Kingdon of Saudi Arabia conveyed sympathy and condolence," he added.
Agreeing with Mukherjee's views, the Saudi Minister underlined that the best way to deal with terrorism is to "cut it out" and "destroy it completely" so that there is no repeat of tragedies like Mumbai.
Al-Faisal suggested that the UN should set up a special body to fight the scourge wherever it exists.
"A proposal should be made to the United Nations to make a special body for the international community to come together and fight terrorism. It is an evil, like a cancer. The only way to deal with such a thing it to cut it out and destroy it," al-Faisal said.
PAGE_BREAK
"There is nothing terrorists would like to see but sowing dissension and creating conflict. This is what they see their success is. This is what we must prevent through collective action," the Saudi Minister said.
Saudi Arabia has immense influence on Pakistan and India is seeking to utilise it to ensure that Islamabad ends cross-border terrorism.
After the Mumbai attacks, New Delhi has been in touch with Riyadh and the Royal government has indicated support to India's case, apparently convinced about its assertion.
India is urging the international community, particularly those having leverage with Pakistan, to build pressure on Islamabad.
Most of the countries, particularly the US, UK, France and Russia besides the 27-nation European Union, are convinced that the terror strikes in Mumbai were carried out by elements based in Pakistan.
The Saudi Minister, who will be in India for only a few hours on Friday, was apprised about how 10 heavily-armed terrorists were trained in Pakistan and sent from Karachi to launch well-coordinated attacks in Mumbai in which over 180 people, including 26 foreigners, were killed.
(With inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment