Don't expect miracles from India-Pakistan dialogue: Antony

Panaji, March 17, 2010 (IANS) - Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday said Pakistan “was not taking serious steps” to destroy 42 terror camps on its soil. Stating that India was “exploring all possibilities”, Mr. Antony also said he did not expect any “miracles” from the dialogue with Pakistan.

“All the terror camps in Pakistan are active. Pakistan has not taken any serious steps to destroy these camps,” Antony told a press conference on the sidelines of the launch of Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Vishwast at the port town of Vasco, 30 km from here.

Mr. Antony said India was one of the important targets for terrorist groups and that there were 42 terror training camps in Pakistan which were aimed at creating violence in the country.

Reiterating that Pakistan had not taken serious steps to control the terror apparatus directed at New Delhi, Antony said that despite this, India would continue to talk to Pakistan.

“However, I do not expect any miracles,” Mr. Antony said. The foreign secretaries of the two countries had held talks last month, in the first structured dialogue since 26/11.

Pakistan has in the past routinely denied allegations that it arms, funds and trains anti-India terrorists.

Speaking on the issue of infiltration by militants from Pakistan into India, the defence minister attributed it to Jammu and Kashmir’s fast-paced return to normalcy.

“Kashmir is becoming normal. Violence is less. This situation cannot be tolerated by forces inimical to India,” he said, adding that since “normalcy was coming to Kashmir fast, infiltration was increasing”.

He said the Jammu and Kashmir Police had now become “efficient and committed”.

Earlier, ICGS Vishwast was commissioned by Antony in the presence of the director general ICG, Anil Chopra, and Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.

The 90-meter long ship is a state of the art vessel with infra red surveillance system, which enables it to detect targets at night and is designed to carry one helicopter and five high-speed boats for search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, exclusive economic zone surveillance and marine pollution response missions.