26/11: Ind hopes Pak would respond to its immediate concerns

Singapore, July 5: India is hoping that Pakistan's new government will respond to its immediate concerns such as fixing accountability for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

"It is important to let them (new Pakistan government) settle down, let them take stock of the situation. And hopefully start giving us signals that they mean business on those issues which are of immediate concern to us, and that includes accountability for the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said.

"That is something we can't wish away and should not wish away," Khurshid said in an interview to Straits Times here.

He also noted that the messages given out by Nawaz Sharif both during and after the campaign, publicly as well as privately have been very positive and meaningful and said "We have also responded to that in a meaningful way."

The talks process between India and Pakistan was halted for over two years in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that were blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba.

Seven Pakistani suspects have been charged with planning, financing and executing the attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai.

Responding to a question whether there was any new movement in Indo-Pak peace process, Khurshid said, "There's a lot happening. But the actual dialogue, the resumed dialogue, has to be re-resumed because, as you know, there were events that caused matters to come to a virtual halt."

"Many of the important decisions we were taking as confidence-building measures were, sort of, slowed down," Khurshid said. "As far as the actual dialogue is concerned we will get back gradually."

PTI