WASHINGTON: In a strong message, US President Barack Obama told Pakistan on Sunday that it “can and must” take more effective action against terrorist groups operating from its soil by “delegitimising, disrupting and dismantling” the terror networks there.
Describing the terror attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot as “another example of the inexcusable terrorism that India has endured for too long”, Obama gave credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reaching out to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif after the attack.
“Both leaders are advancing a dialogue on how to confront violent extremism and terrorism across the region,” Obama told the Press Trust of India (PTI) in an interview here during which he answered a wide range of questions covering Indo-US ties, terrorism and the outcome of the Paris climate change summit.
Voicing his belief that the Indo-US relationship can be one of the defining partnerships of the century, Obama said Modi shared his enthusiasm for a strong partnership and “we have developed a friendship and close working relationship, including our conversations on the new secure lines between our offices”.
Asked if the relationship has achieved its full potential, the US president replied, “Absolutely not”.
On the Pathankot attack, Obama said, “We join India in condemning the attack, saluting the Indians who fought to prevent more loss of life and extending our condolences to the victims and their families.
“Tragedies like this also underscore why the US and India continue to be such close partners in fighting terrorism.”
Obama was of the view that Nawaz Sharif recognised that insecurity in Pakistan was a threat to its own stability and that of the region. After the December 2014 school massacre in Peshawar, he had vowed to target all militants, regardless of their agenda or affiliation.
“That is the right policy. Since then, we have seen Pakistan take action against several specific groups. We have also seen continued terrorism inside Pakistan such as the recent attack on the university in northwest Pakistan.”
The US president said he still believed that “Pakistan can and must” take more effective action against terrorist groups that operate from its territory.
“Pakistan has an opportunity to show that it is serious about delegitimising, disrupting and dismantling terrorist networks. In the region and around the world, there must be zero tolerance for safe havens and terrorists must be brought to justice,” he asserted in his third interview to the PTI.
Referring to bilateral ties with India, Obama said his visit last year reflected how the ties between the two countries have been transformed.
“Since I took office, I have worked to deepen our cooperation with India across the board and I continue to believe that the relationship between India and the United States can be one of the defining partnerships of this century.
“However, common values — two democracies, two innovative economies, two diverse societies — make us natural partners. We are linked by the ties of family — millions of Indian Americans,” the US president said.
He said his hope was that his visit could help spark a new era of cooperation between the two countries and “I believe it did”.
Obama said the two countries were doing even more as global partners, including more military exercises, greater cooperation in the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean region and working together to confront climate change.
“I continue to believe that America can be India's best partner. So I hope future generations can look back at this moment and see that this was the time when the world’s largest democracy became true global partners.
“In my final year as president, continuing to deepen our ties will continue to be one of my foreign policy priorities,” Obama said.