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“U.S. package” to handle Mumbai attacks aftermath

Washington: Lauding India for its “measured response” in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror strikes, a top Pentagon official has said various U.S. agencies are keeping a close watch on the developments taking place in both New Delhi and Islamabad.

“We’re working closely with Central Command and with Department of State, Office of the Secretary of Defence and the intelligence agencies to make sure we are as fully apprised, as fully aware of developments in that particular part of the world as we can be,” said Admiral Timothy Keating, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

“I have been in contact with our Ambassador in India, with Indian military leaders, and I am grateful for the very measured response that India has demonstrated. We have not done anything significantly different from the Pacific Command in terms of military presence or posture in the wake of the terrorist attacks,” he said.

Stating the U.S. is willing to share its experiences with India through an initial part of a package on the painful lessons learnt by Americans in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, he said he had expressed Washington’s desire to New Delhi in his conversations with Indian leaders.

“We are working through an initial parts of a package that we would offer to India to help them understand some of the painful lessons learnt in the wake of September 11 attacks through information sharing, collaboration and cooperation. And I have expressed our willingness to provide that to New Delhi in my conversations with Indian leaders,” he said. At a briefing at the Foreign Press Centre, Admiral Keating, when asked for his assessment of India-Pakistan relations after the Mumbai attacks and whether the nations have successfully avoided military confrontation, said Washington is satisfied the way the countries have handled the situation.

The U.S. has said India’s move to bring in an anti-terror law was a “matter for the people and the government.”

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was asked during a briefing here whether the Secretary of State has had any discussions about the law.

“No..., the laws of India are a matter for the Indian people and the Indian government to decide upon,” he replied. He also refused to comment when asked if Washington believed there was anything new in the latest arrests made in Pakistan, given that militant organisations have earlier been banned in the country, only to return under a new name. — PTI

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