Vikas Swarup official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India and head Public Diplomacy divisions of Ministry
NEW DELHI: India appeared to be quietly pleased on Friday with the Pakistan-US joint statement, downplaying reference to Kashmir even as a spokesman affirmed Delhi’s commitment to resolve issues with Islamabad bilaterally. He particularly welcomed the focus on terror networks in the statement.
Asserting that the statement devotes considerable space to the issue of terrorism and that it was for the first time that LeT and Haqqani network were specifically mentioned in it, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India also read the assurance about these two entities and terrorism in general offered by Pakistan.
“We hope that they deliver on these commitments,” he was quoted by Press Trust of India (PTI) as saying. When asked about India’s reaction on the joint statement issued after a meeting between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which talked about resolution of Kashmir through peaceful means, the spokesperson said: “Let me make it clear that India has always desired resolution of all outstanding issues with Pakistan bilaterally through dialogue and peaceful means.”“It is Pakistan which has chosen terrorism as the instrument of state policy. We hope that this visit conveys a clear message to Pakistan that international community is deeply concerned about its support and sponsorship of terrorists.”
Noting that two organisations are specifically mentioned — LeT and the Haqqani network — both alleged to be operating out of Pakistan and even Pakistanis do not deny it, the spokesperson said: “In fact, this is precisely why it was a subject of discussion between Obama and Sharif.”
“Obama has significantly also raised concerns about US nationals being held hostage by terrorist groups in that region. It is for the first time that LeT and Haqqani network are specifically mentioned in the US-Pak joint statement.”
In this regard, according to PTI, he also referred to the India-US joint statement last year when the two sides agreed to joint and concerted efforts to disrupt entities such as LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, D company and the Haqqani network.
“There is consistency in the US focus on LeT and Haqqani network,” he said.