India expects ‘tangible results’ from Pak on 26/11 probe

“That is the least that we expect from them,” he said soon after two hour long meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi in New York on Sunday night.

Krishna said that further talks between the two countries would depend on concrete action taken by Islamabad on the Mumbai attacks,particularly the upcoming trials.

Earlier,Qureshi told journalists that Pakistan had arrested seven people in connection with the Mumbai carnage and their prosecutions would begin on October 3. “Pakistan wants to see this trial to a logical conclusion,” he said.

In response to Qureshi’s announcement that Pakistan would begin trials of the suspects,including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and computer and communications expert Zarar Shah,Krishna said that India would not “monitor” these proceedings.

“We cannot monitor a development taking place in a friendly country like Pakistan,” he said.

Both ministers have described the bilateral talks as useful and productive. Although,it is not clear when the composite dialogue,as insisted by Islamabad,will be resumed.

“The Minister is very serious and he was representing the Government of Pakistan,” Krishna said.

The meeting between two leaders was the first highest-level contact between the countries since their Prime Ministers met at the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh in July.

In the press conference held after the bilateral talks,Qureshi noted that the international community had recognised Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism,and asked New Delhi to do the same.

When asked about Qureshi’s assertion,Krishna said,”I do not have to respond to what other countries talk about Pakistan or the certificate Pakistan must have got. We have our own position vis-à-vis Pakistan.”

There are possibilities that the two neighbours could engage on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGOM),which is scheduled late November in Trinidad.

The Pakistani side has suggested a time-bound road map for peace,which the Indian government will begin considering.

When asked about the next round of meetings,Krishna said,”We have just come out of one (meeting). So,give us some time.”

Earlier,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,in a tough message,made it clear to Pakistan that it must stop state-sponsored terrorism to normalise ties with India.