New Delhi

Oman for dismantling terror infrastructure

NEW DELHI: Foreign Minister of Oman Yusuf Bin Alawai Bin Abdullah, on the first high level visit from a Gulf country after the Mumbai terror strikes, was informed by New Delhi the need for Pakistan to move beyond assurances to firm action against the perpetrators of the attack.

India enjoys a very comfortable relationship with Oman, which has a large Indian expatriate population. The two countries match views on several international issues; Oman readily offers berthing facilities for Indian warships visiting the region; and the two have a multi-million dollar joint venture. This was the reason why Indian was looking forward to this visit while discouraging offers by senior government members from at least two Gulf countries whose views, India believes, are not completely in synchronisation with New Delhi’s conviction that Pakistan must start cracking down on masterminds of terrorist attacks as a prelude to improving bilateral ties. Mr. Bin-Abdullah, during his interaction with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, expressed condolences at the loss of lives in the Mumbai terror attacks and noted that there could be no excuse for not dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism across Indian border.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu