Told Pak to bring 26/11 accused to book: Roemer

NEW DELHI: The US has said that it wants to ensure that the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks are brought to justice. US ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer — who has just returned from a visit to Pakistan where he met Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari and foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi — said that he had conveyed this sentiment to the Pakistani leadership.

“I have said this is not something I come to represent Delhi portfolio but an American portfolio. We lost six Americans in 26/11 attacks and America also wants to make sure that justice is delivered,’’ Mr Roemer said about his discussions with Mr Zardari. He further said that he had talked to Pakistani leaders about “continued success to prosecute the Mumbai suspects who are currently facing trial in a Pakistani court”. Mr Roemer, whose trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan has been labelled unusual, said: ``The US is very interested in swift, resolute justice.’’

Apart from 26/11, the US ambassador also conveyed US support for Indian efforts in Afghanistan to the Pakistani leadership. ``I talked about Afghanistan...I underscored India’s role in Afghanistan,’’ he said about his discussion with Mr Zardari. He also said he told the Pakistani leader that India and the US had a shared vision
for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

His remarks come in the backdrop of Pakistan’s objection to Indian presence in Afghanistan. Mr Roemer’s remarks also come after US President Barack Obama conveyed his support for Indian developmental efforts in Afghanistan to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their recent meeting in Washington.

The US is keen to launch joint developmental projects with India in Afghanistan, said Mr Roemer who also held discussions with Indian ambassador Jayant Prasad in Afghanistan. He said that discussion focused on identifying projects where India and US could collaborate. The areas identified include capacity building and joint efforts in areas like agriculture. ``What India is doing is critically important to longterm winning of the battle,’’ said the US ambassador.

Mr Roemer, whose visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan was seen as out of the mould, said that he had informed the Indian government about his three trips “well in advance.”