M A I N   N E W S

Pak must cooperate, says Security Adviser
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 22
Pointing out that India has “pretty good evidence” of ISI’s involvement in the Mumbai blasts, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan has said New Delhi will share intelligence with Pakistan under the joint anti-terror mechanism if it sees “great deal” of cooperation from Islamabad.

He indicated that in all likelihood the ISI’s involvement in Mumbai train blasts would be presented during the Foreign Secretary-level talks from November 13 to 15.

This would happen only if certain legal issues to do with the confessions of the accused were first cleared up, Mr Narayanan said.

“There are certain legal issues which we have to clarify. As soon as they are clarified we would be ready to present the evidence. Hopefully, it should be ready by the time Foreign Secretaries meet,” the NSA said.

On the nature of the evidence, Mr Narayanan said in a programme on a news channel that they were “as good as we can possibly get in terrorist cases…. I would hesitate to say we have clinching evidence, but we have pretty good evidence”.

He said if the anti-terrorism mechanism went forward and “we see there is a great deal of cooperation forthcoming from Pakistan and there is a great deal of comfort between India and Pakistan, then maybe we could (share intelligence). That (sharing intelligence) is our ultimate hope. But that’s at a much later stage”.

Mr Narayanan said the mechanism would mostly deal with ongoing investigations and sharing of information and could look into issues like money laundering.

The mechanism, to be headed by a special secretary or additional secretary, would function as and when required as it was meant to deal with terrorism, he said.

Mr Narayanan said the mechanism was aimed at putting Pakistan “on the spot” and that it would be given a “fair opportunity” before India decided whether the mechanism was working or not.

“If every time we give them information, we get a negative answer, then we know the mechanism is not working and we have to see what to do,” he said.

Mr Narayanan said India would give information to Pakistan and ask it to come back with what action it took. “Once we feel the mechanism is not working, we will call it off,” he said.

“In a particular instance of major terrorism where we have what we regard as definite proof of Pakistani involvement, or involvement of terrorist outfits in Pakistan, and since we are not prepared to hot pursuit and that kind of stuff, let us see what Pakistan does with the evidence we give them,” he said.

He said India hoped to be able to give Pakistan “specific” locations, names and telephone numbers.

“If Pakistan delivers on some, even if not all, then at least we will feel the mechanism is reasonably successful.”

Mr Narayanan said Pakistan has “always told us if you give us the evidence, we will help you with the investigation. Now we are giving them an opportunity to prove in deeds what they have said in words. From our point of view, we see it as an opportunity.”

Mr Narayanan also sought to correct the impression with regard to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s comment last month that Pakistan was also a victim of terror.

“He (Dr Singh) was not equating what was happening in Pakistan with what is happening in India or (ignoring) what we in this country feel that Pakistan is responsible for most of the terrorist attacks taking place in this country. It was not as if he was equating the levels of violence and the levels of terrorist activities,” the NSA said, adding what the Prime Minister said was a “fact — a fact that there have been terrorist incidents in Pakistan and that General Musharraf has been a target — He just mentioned a fact, he was not making a value judgment”.

Arbitration on Baglihar project in final stages
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 22
The World Bank arbitration in the dispute between India and Pakistan over the Baglihar hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to conclude in a few months with the neutral expert scheduling his final meeting on draft conclusions on November 7.

Prof Raymond Lafitte is expected to meet officials of the two countries in Washington for three days during which he will firm up his conclusions with regard to the 450-MW project.

The Indian delegation will comprise experts and lawyers, including Mr Fali S Nariman, who has been arguing New Delhi’s case since Mr Lafitte was appointed the neutral expert.

Officials of the Water Resources Ministry are hopeful of a favourable outcome for New Delhi. A draft containing conclusions on arbitration has been circulated to India and Pakistan. The final hearing on the draft will take place during the forthcoming meeting.

Pakistan has been opposing the project, saying it will entail storage of the Chenab water in violation of the Indus Water Treaty.