Safeguarding Nuclear Installations: Manmohan's motivation behind re-starting talks with Pakistan

Manmohan vows to work with Pakistan
Daily Times, September 16, 2006

* Says India and Pakistan should work together to safeguard nuclear installations
* Will meet Musharraf in Havana today
By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: There is an obligation to work together with Pakistan to safeguard nuclear installations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday.

He was talking to journalists, on board a flight to Havana, about the agenda for his talks with President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday.

In the script of his onboard press conference released here, Singh said all issues relating to terrorism would come under discussion during his meeting with Musharraf.

“I am meeting him on the sidelines of the NAM conference, so I will have limited time and President Musharraf will also have limited time. So I can’t promise you I will discuss each and every problem,” he said. Specifically asked about the holocaust since, both India and Pakistan were now nuclear nations, he said, “We are conscious of our responsibilities to safeguard our sensitive installations and I believe there are also other arrangements - India and Pakistan exchange data about their nuclear installations. Therefore, we both recognise that this is a sensitive matter and that there is an obligation to work together.”

On his expectations from his talks with Musharraf, Singh said it was too early to say. “We will see how they proceed.” He remained noncommittal on the possibility of a joint declaration saying, “It has not been ruled out or ruled in.”

On President Musharraf’s statement on Thursday, Singh said: “I don’t want a public discussion with President Musharraf. I look forward to meeting him and we will discuss several issues in the limited time available to us.”

APP adds: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf will meet today (Saturday) on the sidelines of the NAM summit in Cuba, amid hopes of resumption of peace talks.

This will be the first Singh-Musharraf interaction after the halt in peace talks between the two countries following the train blasts in Mumbai.

The US has expressed the hope that the two countries find a “basis” to resume talks. US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher praised the statesmanship shown by the leaders of the two countries, according to a news report.