New Delhi
29 July 2010
British premier David Cameron ended his India visit just the way he began: on a
candid note. He told Pakistan "clearly and plainly" that it needs to crack down on and
eliminate terrorist groups which target not just India but also Afghanistan, the streets of
London and elsewhere -- in remarks that brought home the extent of the threat posed by
terrorism emanating from Pakistan today. He said he can be expected to discuss the
issue "frankly, clearly and openly" with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari when the
latter visits London next week.
"Terrorism cannot be right," Mr Cameron said here Thursday at a joint press conference
with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He echoed Dr Singh's sentiments when he said
Pakistan needs to take further steps to root out terrorism, and he voiced his
government's resolve to do all it can to work with the Pakistan government to encourage
it to crack down on terrorist groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), the Afghan and
Pakistan Taliban, and the Quetta Shura.
The British premier said the world had seen the reality of terrorism in Mumbai, in the
streets of London and in Afghanistan. "No one is in any doubt, least of all the Pakistani
government themselves, that there has been and still are terrorist organisations like the
LeT and others that need to be cracked down on and eliminated," Mr Cameron said,
amplifying his remarks made in Bengaluru Wednesday when he ticked off Islamabad by
accusing it of promoting the "export of terror" in Afghanistan and around the world.
Prime Minister Singh said there was agreement between them that today terrorism
constitutes the single biggest threat to the region and to open and pluralistic societies
like India and the UK. "We have agreed to further intensify our cooperation in the area of
counter-terrorism," he said, adding further that "there is complete agreement [between
us] that no cause is good enough to justify resort to terrorism". He hoped the
international community will use its good offices to promote this cause.
Prime Minister Singh hoped the Pakistan government will honour its commitment given
on many occasions to him and to his predecessors that its territory will not be used for
anti-India terrorist activities. Pakistan, he asserted, should be as serious in combating
terrorism on its eastern border with India as it claims it is on its western border with
Afghanistan.
Both leaders reviewed the regional security situation and developments in Afghanistan,
besides agreeing to a slew of measures to revitalise the India-UK special relationship.
On the occasion, both sides signed the India-UK MoU on cultural co-operation. They
agreed to establish an India-UK CEOs Forum and an India-UK Infrastructure Group, and
also agreed to launch a new phase of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative for
a further five years, from 2011 to 2015. The UK said it will press the European Union for
the conclusion of a broad-based trade and investment agreement between India and the
EU by the end of 2010.
Earlier, in his opening statement at the press conference, Prime Minister Singh praised
Cameron for his bold vision for a better and safer world. "We share the same vision for a
renewed and enhanced partnership between our two countries," he said. "India and the
United Kingdom are natural partners to shape a better world. If we join hands together,
we can make a meaningful contribution to addressing the challenges of global poverty
and development, reform of global institutions, terrorism and climate change," he added.
For his part, Cameron said his India visit had helped to galvanise trade, enhance
security cooperation, and give a boost to people-to-people ties. His visit was made
memorable also because he had fulfilled his childhood dream of hitting former Indian
cricketer Kapil Dev for six when they met on the sidelines of a function at the National
Stadium here, which will be a venue of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
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