By IANS,
New Delhi : India Friday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will raise the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan-based extremist groups with US President Barack Obama in Washington next week, and underlined the need for Islamabad to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism.
“We will raise the issue of terror groups operating from Pakistan’s soil,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters when asked whether Manmohan Singh will ask Obama to exert greater pressure on Pakistan to prosecute the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.
“We have always emphasised the need for Pakistan to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism,” she said.
“The US fully understands the depth of our concerns. It’s an ongoing cooperation,” Rao said.
She also said that expanding counter-terror cooperation with the US is high on the agenda when Manmohan Singh meets Obama Tuesday as his first state guest.
The two sides are expected to sign a pact on a new framework for enhancing counter-terror cooperation during the visit.
Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US nearly coincides with the first anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks that killed over 160 people, including six Americans.
India has attacked the tardy pace of investigations by Pakistan in prosecuting terrorists behind the Mumbai carnage and has repeatedly reminded Islamabad to dismantle the anti-India terror infrastructure on its soil.
New Delhi’s renewed reminder to Islamabad comes a week before the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan meet on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.
Manmohan Singh leaves for Port of Spain Nov 26 after wrapping up a five-day visit to Washington.