Nothing new in Pakistan's commitment on LeT: Sartaj Aziz

Pakistan sought to downplay its commitment to the US that it will take action against LeT

Pakistan sought to downplay its commitment to the US that it will take action against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), saying there is nothing new about such a promise.

"There is no new thing (in it). It is part of the policy of Pakistan. The reference to LeT is in the context of the United Nations resolutions and nothing much should be read into it. We have been taking action against LeT and its affiliated organisations under UN Security Council resolution and we are committed to this," Sartaj Aziz, the foreign policy advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said.

He was responding to a question on a reference made in this regard in the joint statement issued after Sharif's meeting with US President Barack Obama in Thursday.

"The Prime Minister apprised the President about Pakistan's resolve to take effective action against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates, as per its international commitments and obligations under UN Security Council resolutions and the Financial Action Task Force," the joint statement said.

Aziz read out this portion of the joint statement during the press conference and argued that Pakistan has already been taking actions against terrorist organisations designated by the UN Security Council.

In response a question on stalled NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan, Aziz said both countries have different interpretation of Ufa statement.

Aziz said there was a proposal from India for NSA-level talks in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

But India insisted that it has to be on terrorism, he noted.

Aziz said he told India that he would first meet the External Affairs Minister to discuss the time schedule for the talks and then they would have NSA-level talks.

"It is our position that there should be at least some dialogue on para two of the Ufa statement at the level of foreign secretary or official level or at the foreign minister level. The Indian position that talks would be only on terrorism is not acceptable to us," he said.