India today termed as ‘‘empty’’ and ‘‘self-defeating’’ Pakistan’s recent attempts to involve the United Nations in India-Pakistan relations.However, New Delhi said it has chosen not to react to the ‘‘propagandistic’’ and ‘‘malacious’’ remarks in the letters shot off by Islamabad’s Permanent Representative in the UN Munir Akram as that would only vitiate the atmosphere created after Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s peace initiative. Sinha to talk terror with Australia NEW DELHI: An agreement on counter-terrorism with Australia and a boost to economic ties with Singapore and Indonesia will mark the visit of External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha to the three countries starting Tuesday. Sinha’s daylong stopover at Singapore on Tuesday, a MEA spokesperson said. (ENS) In his letters written recently to the UN General Assembly and to the President of UN Security Council, Akram had said: ‘‘India’s demand that Pakistan make unilateral concessions to its position is designed to frustrate not facilitate a dialogue. India’s aversion to talks, is premised on seeking concessions from Pakistan unilaterally through coercive means.’’But the MEA spokesperson said Islamabad first needed to demonstrate some credible action on curbing cross-border terrorism instead of resorting to passing remarks against India. ‘‘The international community is looking for action by Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism permanently and dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil.’’According to him, this was important for Islamabad too if it wanted to be seen as a responsible partner in the global fight against terrorism.Describing it as an ‘‘annual ritual’’ by Pakistan, the spokesperson said the doors to a dialogue with India were open. ‘‘All Pakistan needs to do is to abjure recourse to terrorism as an instrument of policy.’’He drew attention to the fact that Akram’s letters had not even mentioned the word ‘‘terrorism’’ as if it was unfamiliar to them. ‘‘If Pakistan continues to disregard its responsibility to deal with the issue of terrorism against India in this manner, its credentials and its sincerity will continue to be in doubt,’’ the spokesperson added.
