Visit to Pakistan a confidence-building measure: Krishna

Onboard (Special Aircraft), May 13 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has said that his proposed visit to Pakistan would help reduce the trust deficit between the two nations.

"I hope that my visit, when I go there and then I certainly would be extending an invitation to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to visit India. So these high-level visits will only act as some kind of panacea to reduce the trust deficit," said Krishna.

"We can talk to each other with a little more confidence in each other, and that certainly would create the right kind of atmosphere for very productive talks between our two countries," he added on his way to New Delhi after a three-day visit to Kazakhstan.

Krishna had on Tuesday confirmed that he would be visiting Islamabad on July 15 for talks with his Pakistan counterpart.

The relations between the two Asian neighbours went into a diplomatic freeze after India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the 26/11-Mumbai terror attacks.

Reacting to a question on Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley, Krishna said that on his upcoming visit to the United States, he would take up the issue in Washington.

"We have an extradition treaty with United States. And Headley from whatever evidence we have been able to gather, is a kingpin of the terrorist attack on Mumbai, so this question will be taken up with United States," said Krishna.

Krishna is expected to visit the United States in June to meet US Foreign Secretary, Hillary Clinton.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai had earlier on April 30 said that US has assured that Indian investigators would get direct access to Lashkar operative David Headley very soon.

A team led by Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam visited USA from April 24 to 27 to discuss modalities for gaining access to Headley.

During his visit, Subramaniam held discussions with US Attorney General Eric Holder on getting direct access to Headley.

The successful meeting hinted that there would be best possible cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Subramaniam had on May 1 said that all bottlenecks to access David Headley, have been overcome and Indian investigators might get the opportunity to question him soon.

Earlier, the U.S. had stated that it was just a 'matter of working out odalities' before Indian investigators get access to Headley. By Ravi Shankar (ANI)