Sushma rules out talks with Pak, Kerry says no good or bad terrorist

New Delhi : Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State John Kerry at a joint press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday.

With Secretary of State John Kerry declaring that “US stands with India on all matters of terrorism, no matter where it comes from”, External Affairs MinisterSushma Swaraj Tuesday ruled out any dialogue with Islamabad saying “talks with Pakistan will happen only when it takes steps on the Pathankot terror attack” since “terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand”.

Addressing a press conference with Kerry who is here for the second strategic and commercial dialogue between India and the United States, Swaraj said: “I briefed Secretary Kerry on the continuing problem of cross-border terrorism that India and the larger region faces from Pakistan. We both agreed that nations must not maintain double standards, such as the categorisation of good and bad terrorists, nor must they act as sanctuaries and safe havens for terrorist organisations.”

“We reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminal networks including Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and D Company. Secretary Kerry and I also agreed on the need for Pakistan to do more to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot terrorist attacks to justice quickly,” she said.