JOIN USSingh laid down the yardstick for Zardari during their ice-breaking meeting yesterday in the Russian town of Yekaterinburg and told him that if Islamabad shows "courage, determination and statesmanship to take the high road to peace, India will meet it more than half the way."
Speaking to accompaning journalists while returning from Yekateringburg after his three-day visit, Singh said Zardari talked about "difficulties" that his government is facing in fighting terrorism.
"I explained to him that whereas Pakistan has taken strong and effective action against Taliban and Al Qaida, we have a strong feeling that those elements who are responsible for attacks in our country are not being brought to justice," Singh said.
"We wish Pakistan well in dealing with Taliban, Al Qaida but I would like Pakistan to show the same determination in dealing with elements who operate from Pakistani soil and commit acts of terrorism against India," Singh said. (
Responding to Prime Minister's blunt talk during the 40-minute conversation, Zardari sought to assure him that he was "sincere" in fighting terror and sought "some time."
Giving details of his talks with Zardari, Singh said they discussed Indo-Pak ties "which remain under considerable stress and strain, the primary cause of which is terrorist attacks against India emanating from Pakistani territory."
He said he had conveyed to Zardari the "full extent of our expectation that the government of Pakistan take strong and effective action to prevent use of Pakistani territory for attacks against India and brings to justice perpetrators of past attacks, including those of Mumbai massacre and dismantle the infrastructure of terror in Pakistan."
Foreign Secretaries of the two countries will discuss what Pakistan is doing and can do to prevent terrorism from Pakistan against India and bring to justice those responsible for these attacks, he said.
To a question about Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the Prime Minister evaded a direct reply but said that he had flagged the "tangible things" that India would like to see.
Singh made it clear that he would try again to make peace with Pakistan but for it to happen, Islamabad needed to take "strong and effective" steps against terrorism directed against India.
"I have spoken before also about my vision of a cooperative sub-continent and of the vital interest that India and the people of the sub-continent have in peace. For this, we must try again to make peace with Pakistan.