Obama promises Manmohan Singh to provide information on Headley

Toronto, June 28 (ANI): US President Barack Obama is said to have told Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during their interaction on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G-20) summit here, that Washington is aware of New Delhi's continued interest in the investigations of 26/11 terror suspect David Coleman Headley, and would do the needful in providing whatever information was required.

Briefing media persons about the interaction, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said: "We (India and the United States) have a mutual interest that the information that is coming out of this interrogation is taken seriously by Pakistan, and with a view to controlling and eliminating terrorist elements on its territory, which affect the stability of the entire (South Asian) region."

Rao said that President Obama also reassured Dr. Singh that the United States would continue to impress upon Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used by terrorists for conducting strikes on Indian soil.

Rao said: "It is very important that Pakistan abides by its commitment not to allow its territory to be used by elements that engage in terrorism directed against India. And, if that commitment was abided by and was strengthened in the future, then the relations between India and Pakistan would greatly benefit."

She said that both Obama and Dr. Singh spoke about counter-terrorism measures and discussed the situation in the region, specifically with regard to Afghanistan.

When a reference was made to alleged 26/11 terror mastermind Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Rao said that Union Home Minister P. Chidamabaram has effectively conveyed the Indian Government's message on him to Pakistan.

"Our hope is that Pakistan will pay close attention to what we are saying about individuals like Hafiz Saeed. And, when Pakistan says that under their laws it is difficult to take action against such people, we still think it should be possible for Pakistan to put some control on the activities of such persons," Rao said. By Ashok Dixit (ANI)