Reaffirming its commitment to India and underlining its cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the US on Wednesday pressed Pakistan to act against the 26/11 perpetrators, including Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
Addressing his first press conference after presenting his letter of credence to President Prathibha Patil on Tuesday, Timothy J Roemer the new American envoy to New Delhi said that, ?People held in Pakistan in connection with the Mumbai attacks should be brought to justice.?
He was responding to a media question whether the US would press Pakistan to act against Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai killings. The FBI officials would be testifying in the trial of Ajmal Kasab, the lone Mumbai attacker in Indian custody.
While referring to assorted militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba operating in the region, Roemer said that, ?The US will work with India in broadening and deepening counter-terror cooperation. We share a common understanding of the enemy.? ?We are pressing Pakistan hard on the Mumbai suspects and will continue to seek justice for those killed and injured in Mumbai and we will work closely with India to share with you the lessons we learned in the wake of our tragic terror attacks of 9/11,? he added.
Home minister P Chidambaram has been invited to visit the US for additional discussions on precisely how the two nations can cooperate. ?The US? position is firm, resolute and bold. We are committed to shutting down terrorists? networks and financing of those networks to bring the perpetrators of the bloodthirsty attacks to justice,? Roemer said.
Roemer said he conveyed President Barack Obama?s personal greetings to Patil and underlined that Obama considers India ?one of the most important partnerships for America?s future?.
The envoy also said Obama was looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the White House in Washington Nov 24. And, it will be during that visit that the US administration is likely to announce some of the most tangible results of the strategic partnership with India.
The Obama administration has ?an ambitious agenda? on India-US ties, which he plans to pursue.
According to him, the President?s vision is clearly shared by secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton. ?Her four day visit last month, clearly demonstrated her passion for this country, its people and the broad areas in which we are engaged.?
?The strategic dialogue which was announced at the end of Clinton?s visit represents a robust agenda that we intend to advance: strategic cooperation, energy and climate change; education and development, economics, trade and agriculture, and science, technology, health and innovation,? he said.