Need a comprehensive global movement against terror: India

I / Washington October 24, 2009, 11:22 IST

The fight against international terrorism cannot be successful by doing deals with terror groups for short term gains, India has said, as it asked for a comprehensive global movement against the menace.

"You cannot have a fight against international terrorism which is compartmentalised. The snakes that bite us wherever come from the same pit," Indian Ambassador to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri told CNN; wherein he along with his Afghan and Pakistani counterparts to the world body had a rare combined appearance on a TV show.

"You cannot do faustian deals with terrorist groups, so I think you need a comprehensive international movement against the terrorists, and I hope that all of us who are involved in this will carry this fight through until the end so that all of us are victors in this," Puri argued.

Pakistani Ambassador to the UN, Abdullah Hussain Haroon along with the Afghan Ambassador to the world body, Zahir Tanin were present on the occasion.

Responding to a question, Puri said there is no suggestion ever that a diversion of Pakistani military assets from one border to the other to fight the people who really need to be fought would result in any Indian adventurism.

"I don't think that's the kind of ambience that we are presently in," he said, when asked about the apprehensions expressed by Pakistan in this regard.

Observing that India is for a joint fight against terrorism, Puri said: "All that we would like to see if all of us taking the actions required against the perpetrators of these crimes."

Responding to the same question, the Pakistani Ambassador, Haroon, said: "I think that the Indian Ambassador is absolutely right. For quite a while now, we are aware that India is not — at one stage, there were a few exercises taking place. We sort of merely asked, "Is this something more than that?" And they moved away."

"I think there is a very definite indication that there is no hostility meant. And I think the meetings between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President (Asif Ali) Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, and now one that will happen most probably in the Commonwealth conference, is indicative of the fact that they are talking to each other and they had many offers of senior ranks for talking to each other, as well," he said.

The Afghan Ambassador Tanin said Kabul, Islamabad and New Delhi, now all share the same goal on terrorism.  "What is happening, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, they share one goal, how to fight terrorism, how to have a stable region. We also are facing a shared common challenge that is terrorism and extremism, as you say it. And we know that, three of us. We work here together. And I'm sure that is the same understanding amongst all the leaders in Kabul, Islamabad and Delhi," he said.