| The threat of Pakistani
nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists s "no more purely
theoretical" and this issue had been repeatedly discussed by the
Russian-American sub-group dealing with proliferation of mass destruction
weapons, Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov has
said. "The threat of Pakistani nuclear
weapons falling into the hands of terrorists is no more purely theoretical
due to presence of large number of extremist groups in Pakistan,"
Trubnikov told Moscow-based Indian journalists in an interview.
"We have a sub-group with the US, which has
repeatedly discussed the threat of MDW, not only the nuclear weapons,
falling into the hands of the terrorists," Trubnikov added.
He said this problem could be solved only through the
United Nations and the Security Council, as well as by the global
anti-terror coalition.
He reminded that Moscow has presented its draft of
the UN convention for combating nuclear terrorism and New Delhi has
proposed a Global convention on combating the scourge.
"India and Russia could actively interact for the
adoption of these conventions by the United Nations to tackle this
threat," Trubnikov said.
Trubnikov is co-chairman of Indo-Russian and Russian-American joint
working groups on countering new global challenges, originally set up by
Moscow with New Delhi and Washington in 2000 as joint bodies for tackling
the threat of international terrorism emanating from the Taliban-
controlled Afghanistan.
"ISI and a section of Pakistani leadership are
helping Taliban in regrouping in Afghanistan," Trubnikov claimed.
He said the Afghan issue was discussed by him in
detail during last week's parleys with Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal.
Taliban are re-grouping in Pakistan's tribal belt and
in some pockets of Afghanistan... The ongoing talks about so called
'moderate' Taliban and their possible inclusion in a coalition government
are only encouraging them, Trubnikov noted.
"We have taken up strongly with Pakistan and United
States the Pakistani leadership crackdown on the terrorist infrastructure
inside the country, but ISI and a section of leadership is helping Taliban
in regrouping," he added.
Pakistan, he said is making obvious attempts to exert
pressure on Kabul, including attempts to transform Durand Line into
international border between the two countries. Some circles in Pakistan
are making attempts to contra pose Afghanistan and India, but the two
countries have historical and traditionally very close ties," Trubnikov
said. |
