Search the Internet          Tips

Peres urges Pakistan to uproot terrorism

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Shimon Peres, Israel's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, stopped short on Monday of dubbing Pakistan a sponsor of terrorism, but said that while Islamabad had taken steps against terrorists operating from its soil, the world community would only be satisfied when it had uprooted all forms of the scourge.

Peres, who had a 40-minute meeting with Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, told reporters that Israel understands India's problems since it too faces terrorist threats.

"We see the world with the same eyes," he said. "We were shocked when the Indian parliament was attacked by terrorists on December 13. We are not fighting against any particular religion, but against terrorism."

Describing terrorism as the "greatest" problem facing human civilisation, he said, "Whoever harbours terrorists should bring an end to it. The world is no longer divided between east and west, north and south. The new division is between countries that harbour terrorists and countries which fight them."

Asked to explain his comment that India should join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Peres said that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO was left without an enemy. "If India joins NATO, the world can fight the common enemy terrorism, which is now becoming a global phenomenon." Russia, China and Japan too should join NATO for this reason, he said.

Peres said India and Israel could have closer cooperation in many areas. But he refused to say if the issue of extending the cooperation in defence matters was discussed with Advani. "We did not go into specifics," he said.

Peres, who has openly proclaimed Israel's support for a permanent seat for India on the United Nations Security Council, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday.

Additional reportage by PTI

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report