New Delhi, November 17
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper today declared his country’s resolve to closely cooperate with India in future exchange of information about Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian national, who along with US national David Headley was involved in plotting terrorist attacks
in India.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after their talks here, Harper said Canada was also in touch with the US authorities in this regard. The conspiracy to launch terrorist attacks in India by the duo was recently unearthed by the FBI. “We are also in touch with our American friends. We discussed the issue (with India) and resolved to cooperate in sharing any information in the matter,” he said.
His comments came a day after the Indian authorities approached the Canadian government seeking its assistance in tracing the financial dealings and business interests of Rana.
In reply to a question on reports that terrorists planned to target India’s nuclear facilities, the PM said the government would do everything to ensure the safety and security of nuclear installations.
He said the two sides had held ‘fruitful discussions’ on expanding cooperation in combating terror. In this context, he had also raised the issue of the arrests of Rana and Headley by the US authorities. “Since the matter is under investigation, it will not be proper for me to say anything more on the issue,”
he said.
Recalling the terrorist bombing of Air India flight ‘Kanishka’ over the Atlantic in 1985, in which more than 300 persons were killed, Harper said: “We have felt the pain of terrorism together”, adding that Canada faced threat from the same forces that threatened India.
Both countries signed an MoU on setting up a joint study group to examine the feasibility of a free trade agreement (FTA) and another on cooperation in the field of energy. However, the much-anticipated accord on cooperation in the civil nuclear energy field could not be signed.
However, Stephen said Canada considered India as a ‘stable and reliable friend’ and, therefore, it had no hesitation in entering into nuclear cooperation with this country.
Manmohan Singh pointed out that India had signed nuclear cooperation agreements with the US, France and Russia after it secured a waiver from the nuclear suppliers’ group (NSG) in September last year to undertake nuclear commerce. He said the nuclear cooperation accord with Canada would be signed in the near future.
The PM said there was a significant scope for greater investments by Canadian companies in areas of high technology and infrastructure development, and enhancing cooperation in the areas of science and technology, agriculture, mining, natural resources, education and energy.
In a joint statement, the two countries welcomed ongoing efforts to strengthen the institutional framework for bilateral relations, including working towards concluding negotiations on the bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement, social security agreement and the civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The Canadian PM will visit Amritsar tomorrow.
