Nawaz, Raheel told to deprive terrorists of havens: Kerry

NEW DELHI: The United States and India urged Pakistan on Tuesday to do more to counter the extremist groups allegedly operating from its soil, as Washington and New Delhi announced measures to strengthen security and energy ties.

Speaking on a visit to New Delhi, US Secretary of State John Kerry declared that ties once clouded by suspicion had progressed “amazingly” in the last two years and echoed President Barack Obama’s description of their relationship as “the defining partnership of the 21st Century”.

India and the United States have a common goal in creating a counterbalance to the rise of China and hold regular top-level dialogue in New Delhi and Washington under a formal strategic partnership.

But a flare-up in violence in Kashmir meant that Pakistan featured prominently in talks between Kerry and his counterpart, Sushma Swaraj.

Sushma Swaraj said: “I apprised Secretary John Kerry of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan. There can’t be double standards in combating terror.”After Foreign Minister Swaraj alleged that Pakistan was “providing safe havens to terror groups,” Kerry also urged Islamabad to do more to combat extremists allegedly operating from its territory. He said it was vital Islamabad moved to “deprive any group of sanctuary”.

“We will not and we cannot make distinctions between good and bad terrorists... Terrorism is terrorism,” Kerry said at a press conference alongside Swaraj.Kerry, addressing the news conference, also denounced terrorism, and said the perpetrators of attacks on Indian soil — in Mumbai in 2008 and at the Pathankot airbase last January - should be brought to justice.

"We cannot and will not make distinctions between good and bad terrorists," Kerry said. "Terror is terror no matter where it comes from, (or) who carries it out." India accuses Pakistan of responsibility for both attacks. Pakistan is trying suspects in the Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people died. Investigations into this year's airbase attack have so far been inconclusive.

Kerry said the US government had "had conversations with all members of the region frankly about efforts they need to take against terrorism which comes out of their country", adding that he had personally raised the issue with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif.

Swaraj said there was "a meeting of minds" during her talks with Kerry on tackling the threats posed by extremists. "We repeated our stand that Pakistan should stop providing safe havens to terror groups... We also agreed that countries must not categorise terrorists as good or bad," said the Indian foreign minister.

Both sides said that there had been an agreement to step up cooperation on intelligence. "We agree on additional measures to strengthen our counterterrorism," said Swaraj. "We will intensify intelligence sharing."

In an illustration of the burgeoning cooperation, Kerry announced plans to revive trilateral talks between India, Afghanistan and the United States. He also said there had been an agreement "to move forward" on long-standing plans for six nuclear reactors which he said would provide electricity to tens of millions of people, without giving more details.

The deal involving US giant Westinghouse has been held up in the past by concerns over an Indian law that would make US companies liable for accidents at plants they helped build. The start of Kerry’s two-day visit came only hours after the two sides signed an agreement in Washington that allows access to each other’s military bases for repairs and re-supplies.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar sealed the pact in efforts to strengthen defence ties to counter concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness.

Carter said the agreement would make joint operations between their militaries logistically easier and more .efficient. Washington has increasingly turned its focus to Asia as it tries to counter China’s growing clout in the South China Sea, and is eager for India to play a greater role in a network of defence alliances.

The two sides are also keen to expand business ties, with the US targeting an increase in two-way trade from $100 billion to $500 billion. US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, who is accompanying Kerry, praised recent reforms by the Indian government which has moved to ease caps on foreign direct investment in a range of business sectors.

"As a result of the reforms, the US and India trade more with each other, invest more in each other, and do more business together than ever before," she said. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that the United States would launch trilateral talks with India and Afghanistan at next month's United Nations meetings in New York after strategy talks in New Delhi.

Kerry urged Pakistan to join other nations in tackling terrorism, and said Islamabad should not feel isolated by planned trilateral talks between the United States, India and Afghanistan. "It is vital that Pakistan join with other nations in fighting this challenge," Kerry told a news conference, saying he had been in touch with Pakistan's civilian and military leaders on terrorism and noting progress in counter-terrorism operations in the west of the country.

"My hope is that Pakistan as a country is not isolated by this, but is encouraged by this," Kerry said, referring to the planned US-India-Afghan talks that would be held at the annual UN meetings in New York.