Even though India is not fully satisfied with the steps Pakistan has taken to dismantle terror infrastructure on its soil, New Delhi has taken a ?conscious decision? to hold talks with that country.
Talking to media on the sidelines of the Asian Security Conference, defence minister AK Antony said, ?We were watching the developments in Pakistan and felt we are not fully satisfied with the steps it had taken to control terrorism. At the same time, they had taken some action as per our wishes. Therefore, we took a conscious decision that it is better to start talks.?
The minister noted that ?all the 42 terrorist organisations across the border are intact and there is no attempt on the part of the government of Pakistan to dismantle them?.
?The law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved and violence levels have come down. This must be disturbing for those bent on creating disturbances in the state. Our understanding is that it is a conscious decision from somewhere (to increase infiltration attempts). We can?t say who is behind this,? the minister said. New Delhi has suggested two dates?February 18 or 25?for talks between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan.
Pakistan, on its part, has been harping on the resumption of the composite dialogue process that India suspended in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which New Delhi blames on elements operating across the border.
Antony made a pointed reference to this while addressing the security conference, saying the ?support base? of terror organisations like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Al Qaeda in Pakistan, as also in Afghanistan, needed to be dismantled for peace and development in the region.
The minister also announced India?s support for the global delegitimising of nuclear weapons in the manner it was done for chemical and biological weapons before they were eliminated.