
The United States has told Pakistan it expects nothing short of complete cooperation in investigations into the terrorist rampage in India, and Pakistan's response will be a test of the will of the new civilian government, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday.
Talking tough with Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs in India has summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner after strong links to Pakistan in the Mumbai terror attack emerged.
"What we are emphasizing to the Pakistani government is the need to follow the evidence wherever it leads," Rice said. "I don't want to jump to any conclusions myself on this, but I do think that this is a time for complete, absolute, total transparency and cooperation and that's what we expect."
At President George W. Bush's direction, Rice is cutting short a European trip to visit India later this week. Attacks spanning three days killed more than 170 people in the Indian commercial capital Mumbai, including six Americans.
Indian leaders pointed fingers at "elements in Pakistan" although it is not yet clear where the well-planned operation originated.
"We share the grief and the anger of the Indian people but of course Americans were also killed in this attack and they were killed deliberately because they were Americans," Rice said during a news conference aboard her plane en route to London. "That makes this of special interest and concern to the United States."
Attackers chose sites representing the city's wealth and tourism, and reportedly sought out Westerners as victims. Rice will see Indian leaders in New Delhi. She does not plan to go to Mumbai.
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