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| PM virtually rules out war with Pakistan |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi Dec 23, 2008, 18:21 IST |
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 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today virtually ruled out a military conflict with Pakistan but asked the world community to nudge Islamabad to dismantle the "terror machine" in the wake of strikes on Mumbai, which was an attack on India's "ambitions to emerge as an economic power".
Singh clearly hinted at Pakistan over the Mumbai attacks as he said "non-state actors were practising terrorism aided and abetted by state establishments."
Addressing a conclave of over 120 Indian Ambassadors and High Commissioners here, he said India was seeking peace and stability in its neighbourhood but the situation was "worrisome".
Referring to terror strikes in Mumbai, he said these were "an attack on the country's ambitions to emerge as an economic power" but "India would not accept a situation where terrorism is used as an instrument to cripple India's economy or the values it stands for."
Later talking to reporters outside Parliament, Singh said India does not want war with Pakistan but would like Islamabad to dismantle the "terror machine" existing on its soil and the international community to use its "power" to persuade Islamabad to do so.
"The issue is not war. The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan being used to provoke, to aid and abet terrorism. I think that is the issue, the issue is not war. Nobody wants war," he said when asked to speak on the present standoff with Pakistan in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks.
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