The Hindu : Front Page : We cannot choose our neighbours: Manmohan

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Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009
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We cannot choose our neighbours: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here on Tuesday that the country’s external policies were dictated by a desire to have a supportive neighbourhood. Unfortunately “we cannot choose our neighbours.” Some countries like “Pakistan have in the past encouraged and given sanctuary to terrorists and other forces who are antagonistic to India,” he pointed out.

Dr. Singh was speaking at a conference of Chief Ministers on internal security.

After the fencing of the border along the Line of Control, those in charge of the terror infrastructure in Pakistan resorted to other stratagem to push terrorists into India. Infiltration was on via Nepal and Bangladesh and it had not totally ceased via the LoC. The sea route was also used.

“A few interceptions took place, though we failed to intercept the 10 Pakistani terrorists who came by sea from Karachi on November 26,” he said.

While the Mumbai attack fell into the category of one carried out exclusively by a foreign-based outfit, there were other concentric circles of terrorism that often involved a combination of external forces backed by internal elements. “There are still others, which are essentially indigenous in character.”

Best defence

Dr. Singh cautioned against conceptualising terrorism solely in military terms. While taking measures to prevent terror attacks it should be ensured that the concept of terrorism was delegitimised through better and superior intelligence. “An alert pluralistic and secular society such as ours is the best defence against terrorist onslaughts,” he said.

The Prime Minister announced that a permanent Crisis Management Group to handle the fallout of major terror attacks was being established.

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