On board Prime Minister’s special aircraft, Wednesday 17 June 2009: After some tough talking on Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday favoured peace with Pakistan but made it clear that Islamabad should take “strong and effective” actions to end terrorism against India like it has done with Taliban.

Singh, who had met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Yekaterinburg, said if Islamabad shows “courage, determination and statesmanship to take the high road to peace, India will meet it more than half the way”.

He said Zardari had told him that he was sincere in fighting terrorism but he talked about difficulties his government is facing in tackling the menace and sought “some time” in this regard.

“I have spoken before also about my vision of a cooperative sub-continent and the vital interest people of the sub-continent have in peace. For this, we must try again to make peace with Pakistan. But for this, it is essential that strong and effective steps are taken by Pakistan against the enemies of peace,” Singh told journalists accompanying him on his way back after attending two multilateral summits.
(Agency)