International community must not link Mumbai attack to Kashmir: Mukherjee

Kabul, Jan.22 (ANI): Addressing a joint press conference with his Afghan counterpart Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, the visiting Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee here, replying to question on Kashmir on Thursday said that the international community should not link the November 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai to Kashmir.

Apparently referring to the recent statement made by the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Kashmir suggesting terror attacks in south Asia would stop with the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, Mukherjee said: "These attacks (on Mumbai) are not related to Jammu and Kashmir and are a part of global terrorism."

"The international community has to take it as a part of global terrorism," Mukherjee added.

He further said that Kashmir is an integral part of India and the people of that State have overwhelmingly exercised their voting rights.

Mukherjee mentioned on the occasion that it was decided by India and Pakistan in the Simla Agreement (July, 1972) that Kashmir is a bilateral issue.By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)