Good afternoon everyone. You may have seen the Joint Statement that has been issued in Islamabad. I will read it out to you.
"In pursuance of the decision taken during meeting between the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of India in Havana, Cuba on 16 September, 2006, the first meeting of the Anti- Terrorism Mechanism was held in Islamabad on 6th March, 2007. The Pakistan delegation was led by Mr. Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary (UN&EC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indian delegation was headed by Mr. K.C. Singh, Additional Secretary (IO), Ministry of External Affairs of India.
The two sides discussed the parameters of the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism and agreed that specific information will be exchanged through the Mechanism for
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(i) Helping investigations on either side related to terrorist acts and
(ii) Prevention of violence and terrorist acts in the two countries.
It was also agreed that while the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism would meet on a quarterly basis, any information which is required to be conveyed on priority basis would be immediately conveyed through the respective Heads of theMechanism."
So this is essentially it. The meeting spilled over from the sixth (of March) and carried on for part of the seventh. This is the result.
Question: How do you plan to prevent violence?
Navtej Sarna: The essential idea behind is to exchange information whichleads to a mechanism which can jointly end terrorism. So that is the purpose oftalking of prevention of violence and terrorist acts in the two countries bytightening the net.
Question: There have been a lot of reports in Pakistani papers thatPakistan has presented evidence on the alleged Indian role in Baluchistan andalso the operation of Indian Consulates in Afghanistan. Would you like tocomment?
Navtej Sarna: Well, I would not like to comment on what has beenpresented because that we have not seen. We will certainly see what they havepresented. I am glad you used the word ‘alleged’ because India has nothingto do with the developments in Baluchistan. As far as the Indian Consulates inAfghanistan are concerned, they have nothing to do with the developments inBaluchistan. They are working in very close cooperation with the government andpeople of Afghanistan to help in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and completethe other bilateral work which is wholly and completely supported andappreciated by the people of Afghanistan.
Question: I understand that five or six names of people who have redcorner alerts against them were handed over to the Pakistani side. Could youelaborate?
Navtej Sarna: I cannot go into details of what has been exchanged. Yes,information has been shared before these talks, evidence has been shared, forinstance, during the last Foreign Secretaries meeting, evidence has been sharedyesterday on some issues. I cannot go into details. That would not be in keepingwith the purpose of this exercise. Ultimately, we will see what happens.
Question: Are you at liberty to talk of any of the evidence that has beenpresented?
Navtej Sarna: I am not at liberty to talk and I do not think it helpsmuch to talk. Ultimately, this is really about doing. So we will see what isdone.
Question: There are PTI reports that the Indian side presented somephotographs of the Pakistani suspects involved in some of the blasts. Would youlike to comment?
Navtej Sarna: As I said I am not going to get into details based on mediareports. I am telling you that evidence was shared.
Question: How cooperative has the Pakistani side been?
Navtej Sarna: This is not a question of characterizing anybody’scooperation or lack of cooperation on the basis of one meeting. This is ameeting between delegations of two countries, both the delegations have donewhat they had to do, there is an agreed joint statement, now let us see where itgoes. As far as we are concerned we will naturally judge the cooperation andefficacy by the results we achieve.
Question: In the recent Attari Express blasts, they (Pakistan) wanted ajoint investigation. Any comments?
Navtej Sarna: Well, that question was sufficiently answered by theExternal Affairs Minister during the joint press interaction with Mr. Kasuri.
Question: Is there any terrorist outfit which is not within the mandateof the joint anti-terrorism mechanism?
Navtej Sarna: I do not see any such exceptions. I think the mandate ofthe group is very clear as laid out in the joint press statement in Havana.
Question: Is there any territory in India or Pakistan which is outsidethe mandate…?
Navtej Sarna: You know the mandate is in plain English. It has noexceptions.
