Indian envoys’ brainstorming meet ends

New Delhi, December 25:

As the tensions between India and Pakistan mounted over who was responsible for the Mumbai terrorist carnage of November 26, top Indian diplomats from across the world

ended their brainstorming conference yesterday with a clear brief on how to go ahead with nailing the Pakistani lie.

They will return to their stations and impress upon their host governments the need to urge Pakistan to dismantle its terrorist infrastructure.

While Pakistan has claimed the perpetrators of the carnage were ‘non-state actors,’ India’s view is that those people cannot function without assistance from “elements in the Pakistan establishment.”

The three-day conference, the first time the Indian government has ever called in all of its 116 heads of missions abroad, began on Monday as India was exploring all its options and diplomatic strategies to end the terrorist scourge that threatens India and other major democracies.

The Indian Ambassadors met and interacted with key policy makers in the government, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Deputy Chief of the Planning Commission Montek Ahluwalia, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan and chief of the defence committee, Admiral Suresh Mehta.

The envoys strategised on foreign policy planning and projections for the coming decade. According to an envoy who attended the three-day conclave, other key focus areas were development and the eradication of poverty, food security, management of water resources, energy security in the light of the recent Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation deal and relations with the neighbours.

Addressing the conclave, Mukherjee said, “The world is in the midst of transition covering both political and economic spheres. Political transitions are underway in countries of our neighbourhood as also in the world’s leading power. The global economic crisis shows no sign of an ending soon. Issues of energy, environment, food security, and water, to name a few, are becoming more complex. Above all, the effects of the processes of globalization are throwing up new challenges; but, they also provide opportunities for our national endeavours. We have to ensure that our interests and security are safeguarded and promoted.”

Outlining the policy on Pakistan, Mukherjee told the envoys, “At the international level we have sought the support of the international community to put pressure on Pakistan to deal effectively with the terrorism.

“We have highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has to be dismantled permanently. We are not saying this just because we are affected but because we believe

that it will be good for the entire world and also for Pakistani people and society. This terrorist

infrastructure in Pakistan is the greatest terrorist danger to peace and security of the entire civilized world.”