Friday, 15 July 2011

India brushed off speculation

India brushed off speculation tying the Mumbai bombings to Pakistan and said Friday it remained committed to recently renewed peace talks with its rival neighbor.

The moves showed how little appetite New Delhi has for escalating tensions in the region while it focuses on maintaining economic growth in the South Asian nation of 1.2 billion people. The Indian government so far has rejected opposition demands for a heavy response against Pakistan.

On Friday, India said it was working out dates for the next round of negotiations expected this month between top officials from both countries.
"The talks with Pakistan are on schedule," foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said.

Pakistan's leaders had quickly condemned the blasts and have welcomed India's measured response. In a statement Friday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani "expressed satisfaction at the resolve of both Pakistan and India to continue with their bilateral dialogue, and not get deterred by terrorists' designs to derail the dialogue once again."

Investigators examined forensic evidence and footage from closed circuit cameras Friday for clues about who orchestrated the blasts.

"People are being questioned on the basis of our previous database and known linkages. We also have identified the scooter in which one of the bombs was planted," India's Home Secretary R.K. Singh told reporters in New Delhi.

"The prime minister has staked his reputation and his political fortune on being able to change Pakistan's behavior and get them to live as peaceful and friendly neighbors," Mehta said.

India and Pakistan, nuclear powers that have fought three wars since independence in 1947, had been engaged in reportedly fruitful negotiations before the Mumbai siege nearly three years ago.
Though India remained unsatisfied with Islamabad's tepid effort to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
Pakistani political analyst Khaled Mahmood said India has in the past been quick to suspend talks or consider military options, but that they "didn't gain anything out of it."

But Parthasarthy, the former ambassador to Pakistan, said India's patience has limits."Tensions will flare if there is one more terrorist attack," he said. "I don't think next time around our response will be as Gandhian as it was in the past."

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