The Hindu : National : India joins issue with Crocker

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Friday, Oct 06, 2006
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India joins issue with Crocker

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: India has joined issue with U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan Crocker over his remarks that New Delhi should stop talking in public about the alleged role of Pakistan in the Mumbai train blasts.

"We have seen the remarks attributed to Ambassador Crocker. Coming from a democracy like [the] United States, one would have expected Ambassador Crocker to understand that democratic governments have a primary responsibility to keep their own people fully informed," the External Affairs Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Dawn quoted Mr. Crocker as advising India not to blame Pakistan without reliable evidence and suggesting that New Delhi address its grievances through "direct contact" with Islamabad.

"India should communicate with Pakistan by having direct contact, instead of talking about the Mumbai train blasts in the public," Mr. Crocker is reported to have said at a press conference.

"We hope that both the countries would keep all their channels open to rectify their misunderstandings," he said, adding that accusatory statements would serve no purpose, the report said.

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