Rice starts tension-easing trip in India

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-04-2008 09:10

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in India at the start of an emergency tour that will also take her to Pakistan. Her aim is to ease tensions in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a  meeting at his residence in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.(AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi)

Rice flew into New Delhi on Wednesday and delivered US condolences to the Indian government.

In meeting with Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Rice warned that New Delhi should ensure its response to Pakistan over the Mumbai attacks does not provoke unintended consequences.

She later met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

During the visit, the US Secretary of State called for international cooperation in the investigation into the Mumbai attacks.

Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, said, "We expect all responsible nations to participate and cooperate in bringing these perpetrators to justice and Pakistan has a special responsibility to do so and to do so transparently, fully, urgently and that is the message that we have delivered."

Rice said it's too early to say who was responsible for the attack. But she did say it is clearly the kind of terrorism in which al-Qaida participates.

The Indian government has demanded that Pakistan take action against those responsible and asked that 20 suspects believed living in the country be handed over.

Rice is expected to continue her tension-easing trip to Pakistan on Thursday.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei