Condoleezza Rice in India on India-Pak peace mission

New Delhi, Dec 3: As part of intense United States efforts to ease mounting tension between India and Pakistan on the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived India on Wednesday, Dec 3. The top US military commander was also visiting the nuclear-armed south Asian rivals and India's senior-most diplomat held meetings in Washington in other initiatives.

US President George W Bush asked Rice to rush to India after Mumbai terror attacks. She will meed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. India is expected to share with her details of evidence against Pakistan, including intercepts like records of satellite phones used by the terrorists in the Mumbai attacks.

Meanwhile India renewed its longstanding demand for 20 most wanted terrorists, includiong Dawood Ibrahim. But it is learnt that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari refused to handover the terrorists and he want to try them in Pak itself it appropriate evidence is provided.

Rice is also expected to visit Pakistan on Thursday, Dec 4 in a bid to reduce tensions between the two countries in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

However, there was no official word on that visit as yet.