A range of bilateral, regional and global issues including the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan were discussed during the two-day visit of U.S. National Security Adviser General (Retired) James Jones here.
Gen. Jones, who came on Wednesday at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Shivshankar Menon, called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik.
“International terrorism, the global governance architecture and emerging threats to international security were also discussed,” an official release said.
India said General Jones' visit was part of the mechanism of institutionalised dialogue between the NSAs and that it served as a useful channel of communication between the countries.
The two sides reviewed the status of the strategic partnership and discussed preparations for the President Barack Obama's state visit later this year.
Common values
U.S. Deputy National Security Council spokesman Ben Chang said Gen. Jones' visit also served to “reinforce the strategic partnership — defined by a foundation of common principles and values — and to map out further those areas in which mutual cooperation can lead to greater prosperity, security, and progress for both our countries and the world.”
Gen. Jones said Pakistan would have to take a ‘tough' call of going after the terror groups on its soil without any discrimination.
“In our bilateral relationship with Pakistan, we have expressed strong concerns over the existence, within the borders of Pakistan, of terrorist organisations that have goals to destabilise and attack our way of life, your way of life, to prevent strategic goals from being achieved in Afghanistan,” Gen. Jones told CNN-IBN.
