Back channel diplomacy not needed: Krishna

NEW YORK: India’s Foreign Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna said Sunday that his country is working for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Addressing a press conference here at New York Palace hotel after the FMs of Pakistan and India held a meeting on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly, he said both the countries agreed to continue the purposeful negotiations, adding India is intent upon making meaningful the bilateral ties.

He said India will monitor the action taken by Pakistan against culprits involved in Mumbai Attacks, adding the elements involved in the incidents are present in Pakistan.

The extremists present in Pakistan pose a threat to India, he maintained saying, ‘We have apprised Pak FM of the terror groups present in Pakistan and he assured us that they would not allow their soil be used against India and that strict action would be taken against Mumbai Attacks culprits.’

Balochistan issue was not discussed in the meeting, he said.

Krishna said there are front channels open for diplomacy between the two countries; accordingly, back channel diplomacy is no more needed.

‘India is against the nuclear proliferation and favours clearing the world of all nuclear arms,’ Krishna said adding India is not a signatory of NPT; but, it signed an agreement of civil nuclear technology with the US.

Pakistani and Indian foreign ministers met here Sunday to discuss bilateral relations, which were derailed in the wake of November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Both Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart SM Krishna smiled as they shook hands at the start of the meeting. “I am shaking hand and I’m shaking it very firmly,” the top Pakistani diplomat said.

The foreign ministers meeting was preceded by a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two South Asian countries on Saturday.

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Pakistani high commissioner to New Delhi, Shahid Malik and senior diplomats assisted Foreign Minister Shah while Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, Indian ambassador to the United Nations Hardeep Singhpuri were part of the Indian side.