Obama asks Pakistan to rein in LeT

After some plain speaking by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, US President Barack Obama has leaned on Pakistan to rein in Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Singh, who met Obama here last night, emphasised that Pakistan needed to take "convincing action" against those responsible for Mumbai attacks.

Meeting Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani a couple of hours after his discussions with Singh, Obama is believed to have asked him to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice, saying this action would be a positive thing in improving Indo-Pak ties.

Gilani replied in the affirmative when asked by reporters whether some action can be expected from Pakistan now that Obama is pressing it to bring those behind Mumbai attacks to justice.

"Certainly," he said, adding "I am against terrorism and always of the opinion that those who are the culprit they should be brought to justice."

Briefing reporters on the 50-minute meeting at Blair House between the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said Singh made it clear that "future of South Asia would be determined by the manner in which terrorism is tackled".

The Prime Minister also voiced apprehensions about misuse of US military supplies to Pakistan, prompting Obama to assure him that India's concerns in this regard would be kept in mind while dealing with the issue.

Obama also said he favoured reduction of tensions between India and Pakistan.

The US President told Singh that Washington was "supportive" of India's request for access to Mumbai attacks accused and LeT operative David Headley and it was "working through legal systems" on the matter.

Obama said the US understood India's concerns with regard to activities of LeT and other terror groups from Pakistan and Afghanistan and that Washington was "engaging" Pakistan on these issues.

While talking about the menace of terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Singh referred to Headley, activities of LeT and its chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed and al-Qaeda-linked HuJI leader Ilyas Kashmiri, Rao said.

"Unfortunately, there is no will on part of Pakistan to punish those responsible for terrorist attacks in Mumbai," Rao quoted the Prime Minister as telling Obama.

"This is where partnership of India and the US could make the difference," Singh told Obama.