Obama promises PM to take up terror issue with Sharif

Washington, Sept 28: US President

has promised to take up with

in a "frank" manner the issue of continued Pakistan-based terror directed against India as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told him that progress in dialogue will depend on action on this front.

The promise was conveyed to Singh during their summit meeting here on Sept 27 when the Prime Minister referred to the attacks in Jammu two days back and highlighted how terror emanating from Pakistan impacts India "every waking hour" day in and day out, according to sources.

The US side shared India's deep concern over the threat posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to India as well as the region and the world after Singh told him that the terror outfit along with Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) gets "handsome financial support" from the government of Punjab in Pakistan, the sources said.

Singh and Obama, who held discussions for about three hours, talked about terrorism in the context of the situation in Afghanistan, with the US President saying that the "major wild card" in this regard is Pakistan. Both the leaders felt the need for enhancing cooperation against terrorism.

The US side wanted to know in what aspects the cooperation between India and the US could be further strengthened, the sources said. Obama expressed deepest sympathies for the loss of life in the twin attacks in Jammu on Thursday by terrorists on an army camp and a police station in Samba.

Ten people, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in the attacks. Obama said he will have "frank" conversation in this regard with the Pakistan Prime Minister when they meet here on October 23. The US President appreciated Singh's wisdom in the context of taking forward the dialogue process with Pakistan.

Singh said India faces difficult challenges and that the safe havens and terror sanctuaries in Pakistan needed to be dealt with effectively not only for security, but also for the prospect of progress of the dialogue. The Prime Minister said day in and day out, terror movements based in Pakistan continuously threaten India. There is no diminution of terror campaign as also the hate campaign against India, the Prime Minister said.

PTI