Taking a firm stance against the increasing supply of weapons to Pakistan for the war against terror,India has said that there should be strict accountability of US military assistance to the country. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said that past experience has taught India to be vigilant to the possibility of it being used to generate hostile action against it. It is important that there are strict accountability criteria that apply to defence assistance rendered to Pakistan for operations against terrorists and insurgents on the border with Afghanistan, Rao said at the Woodrow Wilson Centre. Rao pointed out that despite several provocations and linkages of terrorists to outfits based on Pakistani soil,India has not abandoned the path of dialogue,but in order to have progress,Pakistan needs to cease the encouragement of terrorism targeted against India. Today,Pakistan claims that it is in no position to give us such a guarantee that terrorism can be controlled by its authorities. In such a situation,the people of India who are already bitterly affected by the series of terrorist attacks directed against them,can hardly be expected to support the resumption of a full-blown Composite Dialogue with Pakistan, she said. Rao said that one of the main security-related challenges for the region is the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan but emphasised that the international community needs to stay the course in the war-torn country. There is no quick solution to the Af-Pak situation. It is important for the international community,in its own interest,to stay the present course for as long as it is necessary, she said. On the recent Kabul attack that left seven Indians dead,she said that it was carried out by those who are against Indias humanitarian and developmental work in the country.
