India will not monitor 26/11 trials in Pakistan: Krishna

In response to Pakistan's announcement that it would begin trials of the suspects held for Mumbai attacks from October 3, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has said that India would not "monitor" these proceedings.

"We cannot monitor a development taking place in a friendly country like Pakistan," he said yesterday, soon after the bilateral talks between the two countries concluded.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told journalists that Islamabad had arrested seven people and prosecutions would begin in October. "Pakistan wants to see this trial to a logical conclusion," he said.

The Indian minister said that New Delhi has not set a "benchmark" for Islamabad but expected it to deliver tangible results in the investigations and prosecutions.

"We have suggested to the government of Pakistan that the perpetrators of that attack on Mumbai must be brought to justice within the framework of the Pakistan law," Krishna said.

"That is the least that we expect from them," he added.

In the press conference held after the bilateral talks, Qureshi noted that the international community had recognised Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism, and asked New Delhi to do the same.

When asked about the Pakistan Foreign Minister's assertion, Krishna said "I do not have to respond to what other countries talk about Pakistan or the certificate Pakistan must have got. We have our own position vis-à-vis Pakistan."

However, having spent two hours with the Pakistani delegation, Krishna got a sense that his counterpart Qureshi appeared to be committed towards addressing India's concerns on the Mumbai attacks.

"The Minister is very serious and he was representing the Government of Pakistan," he said.

Both ministers have described the bilateral talks as useful and productive. Although, it is not clear when the composite dialogue, as insisted by Islamabad, will be resumed.

There are possibilities that the two neighbours could engage on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGOM), which is scheduled late November in Trinidad.

Further talks between the two countries would depend on concrete action taken by Islamabad on the Mumbai attacks, particularly the upcoming trials, according to Krishna.

The Pakistani side has suggested a time-bound road map for peace, which the Indian government will begin considering.

When asked about the next round of meetings, Krishna said, "We have just come out of one (meeting). So, give us some time."