US Secretary of State insists it is time for transparent co-operation. US officials test waters in Islamabad to make sure that tensions, old and new, do not result in direct confrontation to the advantage of international terrorism.

New Delhi (AsiaNews) – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in New Delhi where it “is the time for everybody to cooperate and do so transparently,” especially “for Pakistan”. At the same time US Admiral Mike Mullen flew to Islamabad for talks with Pakistani leaders over “regional issues”, more likely to sound out what reception Ms Rice can expect when she arrives in the Pakistani capital in a few days time.

In India America’s top diplomat is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In a statement directed especially to Pakistan she said that “We have to act with urgency, we have to act with resolve.”

India has accused “elements in Pakistan” of being behind the Mumbai attacks which killed 188 people and has called on Islamabad to provide help in capturing the accomplices of the terrorists who, according to Indian police, trained for a year in Pakistan (pictured anti-Pakistan protests in India).

In fact for US Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Toiba was involved in the Mumbai attacks.

In response to India’s request Pakistan’s government has expressed its willingness to co-operate with India if actual evidence is provided.

However, what concerns the United States is that escalating tensions between the two countries might push Pakistan towards protecting itself from possible Indian retaliations, turning it away from the fight against terrorism.

All Pakistani political leaders condemned this attack, but also expressed support for their government on national security issues.

Asma Jahangir, who chairs the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, has urged the governments of the two countries to take “a balanced and transparent approach” against terrorism which threatens both.

These attacks “should be the turning point” in the relationship between the two nations and encourage them to work together to find and prosecute those who planned this bloodbath.

(Qaiser Felix collaborated on the article from Pakistan)

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• india
• mumbai
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• condoleezza
• rice
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• tensions
• -e-Toiba