'We Will Be Pursuing Terrorists' Networks Wherever We Find Them'

Fernandes: Well Secretary Rumsfeld and I had discussions from the timehe arrived here. Our discussions were essentially on the strategic relationshipbetween us and on how to continue to build on what we have achieved so far.Naturally we also discussed the ongoing war against terrorism on a global scale,and the kind of developments that we visualize in so far as Afghanistan isconcerned. We also discussed some of the specifics on our mutual defence-relatedpartnership, including certain items that we need to acquire, collaborationsthat we could have, and in other words their relationship of mutual support andcollaboration. I'm very happy with the discussions that we had and I want toexpress my thanks to Secretary Rumsfeld for coming over here -- his first visitas defence secretary to India, and I look forward to a very long lastingrelationship between our two nations. Thank you.

Rumsfeld: Thank you very much Mr. Minister. I am very pleased to beback in India, and as you point out on my first visit as secretary of defence. Iput great value on the relationship between the United States and India. Our twocountries have many common values and common interests, and there I believeimportant that we strengthen them, so I was particularly pleased to be able tovisit with you. I guess that both of us are back in this job for the second time-- to be able to strengthen the military to military and defence ties betweenour two countries which I think are so important.

The minister has described our visits and the number of topics that wecovered, and the only one I would add is humanitarian aspects of our interest inthe situation in Afghanistan. Both of our countries have been active inproviding humanitarian assistance, and certainly when we have been successful,and there has a post-Taliban government of Afghanistan. I'm sure that both ofour countries will again share that interest in providing the kinds ofassistance for the Afghan people that they certainly need.

And with that we'd be happy to respond to questions. I should add that I'veinvited the minister to the United States and I'm hopeful that he would be ableto visit us there some time next year at his convenience.

Fernandes: Thank you.

Q: Mr. Secretary, it's here, Mr. Secretary some of the sanctions againstthe Indian companies and the Indian establishments are still pending that wereenforced in 1974. Is the United States administration considering to lift thosesanctions also along with the sanctions that you have lifted recently?

Rumsfeld: As you point out, the sanctions that relate to the DefenceDepartment have been lifted and other sanctions have been lifted, waived, andthe status of some remaining sanctions with respect to nuclear technologies, asI recall, and missile technologies are something that the Department of Stateand the government of India undoubtedly will be discussing.

Q: Mr. Secretary, you've just come back from Pakistan. Are you concernedabout the safety of nuclear facilities in Pakistan?

Rumsfeld: I think that countries that have nuclear weapons have ahealthy respect for power and the lethality of those weapons and the dangersthey pose to the world and take the appropriate steps to ensure that they aremanaged and handled in a way that reflects the dangers that those weapons pose.

Q: Mr. Secretary, (inaudible -- perhaps, "is there a")possibility of Pakistan's nuclear set up, falling into the hands of terroristsor hard-liners. Can you rule out the possibility?

Rumsfeld: As I've indicated, I do not personally believe that there isa risk with respect to the nuclear weapons of countries that have those weapons.I think those countries are careful and respectful of the dangers that they poseand manage their safe handling effectively.

Q: Mr. Secretary, can you tell us what the next steps are inmilitary-to-military cooperation between the U.S. and India? What do you foreseenew steps?

Rumsfeld: Well first, Admiral Blair, the commander of our Pacificcapabilities is going to be visiting here in the next period of days and weeks.He will be followed by Under Secretary Feith from the Department of Defencewho's with me today, the distinguished gentleman with the gray hair there. Hewill be leading a delegation here and they will be discussing ways that we canestablish the linkages between our two countries from the standpoint of militaryexchanges and training and various educational opportunities, and other aspectsof the relationship.

Q: What are the other aspects?

Rumsfeld: Well those are to be discussed by Mr. Feith. You can grabhim there afterwards. The two countries will be discussing those intensively.They'll be teams of experts over and they will be decided between the twocountries as those visits take place.

Q: Yes, Secretary Rumsfeld, Mr. Fernandes told a German news magazinequoted this morning as saying of our efforts in Afghanistan, "This is awaste of explosives on barren mountains. The most it will do is melt the ice onthe peak earlier than usual." Can you respond to that?

Rumsfeld: You bet! What we are doing in Afghanistan is we are engagedin an exercise in self-defence. Thousands of Americans were killed. People fromthree or four dozen other countries were killed in New York and Washington,people of all races and all religions. It is not possible to defend at everylocation against every terrorist. The only way to deal with it is to take thebattle to them, and that is what we're doing.

There is no question that the effectiveness of bombing is vastly improved asyou have people on the ground in communication with the aircraft overhead. Andeach day that we've been engaged in this since October 7 we have been able toimprove the effectiveness of it.

We now have some larger number of teams of people on the ground that areassisting with resupply and humanitarian assistance, as well as targeting, andthe effectiveness of the bombing is improving every day. I don't think thatthere probably has ever been a bomb campaign that has been any more attentiveand precise and focussed solely on the military capabilities than this one.

Q: Secretary Rumsfeld, another remark that Defence Minister Fernandes hadmade was that he had his doubts about whether the Americans would have thestick-in-it-power once this phase was over to help India with its struggleagainst terrorism in Kashmir, particularly with groups that are based inPakistan?

Rumsfeld: I think the president has been very clear that the effortagainst terrorism is a doable one. It involves terrorists where they are andcertainly he is determined. And I have no doubt in my mind but that the UnitedStates will be -- let be start slightly differently. This is much bigger thanAfghanistan. The president has said that repeatedly, I've said it repeatedly.Afghanistan happens to be the first problem because the al Qaeda organization isthere and it needs to be stopped before it kills thousands of more people. Butthe president has been unambiguous on that question and there's no doubt in mymind but that we will be pursuing terrorists' networks wherever we find them.

Q: Mr. Secretary, did you discuss the presence of terrorists' camps acrossthe line of control in Pakistan with the defence minister today? And what wereyour talks about?

Rumsfeld: We talked about terrorism in the broadest sense. We talkedabout terrorism that has affected both of our countries, and the concern weshare, our two countries share with respect to the importance of dealing withthat problem. As you know, I have a policy of not characterizing the extent towhich other countries are involved in this effort. I feel it's up to them, and Ican say the government of India has been very specific and very cooperative andthat we certainly appreciate it.

Q: For Mr. Fernandes, there was a reference to your interview to theGerman publication. Is the government of India, does it agree with the tacticsbeing used in Afghanistan?

Fernandes: Agree with what?

Q: The tactics which are being used in Afghanistan -- the militarytactics.

Fernandes: Well I think it's the military men who decide the militarytactics. So one should accept what's happening now.

Q: Secretary, there is a thinking that this battle in Afghanistan maycontinue for four years or at least two years. Do you agree?

Rumsfeld: I think that the effort against terrorism will certainly bea something that we will have to continue over a period of time. We have to bevigilant because in this world of ours there are people who are determined tokill other innocent people, and second in this world of ours with the increasingavailability of very powerful weapons and in some cases weapons of vastdestruction the risk that they'd fall into terrorists' hands poses a threatthat's unique and different in the history of mankind.

Do I think Afghanistan will take years? No, I don't. I think that it issomething that is being very aggressively addressed at the present time. Howlong it will take one can't guess, but certainly all of us would hope it wouldtake the least possible time because the people there pose a threat to innocentpeople all across the globe. Thank you very much.

Fernandes: Thank you.