India, Pakistan Hold Talks on Mumbai Attacks

Posted July 4th, 2012 at 3:00 am (UTC-5)
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The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan have opened a round of talks partly aimed at bolstering a peace deal shaken by fresh tensions linked to the 2008 terror attacks that killed 166 people in India's financial capital, Mumbai.

India's Ranjan Mathai and Pakistan's Jalil Abbas Jilani met Wednesday in New Delhi, days after India repeated charges of Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

Jilani arrived in New Delhi Tuesday promising India support in its fight against terrorism. He also urged India to share information about a key suspect who Indian officials say has revealed the Mumbai attacks were coordinated in Pakistan with state support.

India arrested the suspect last month. Investigators say Abu Jindal has since revealed that he and the founder of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba were in a control room in the Pakistani city of Karachi when the attacks occurred.

Pakistan has denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. India has blamed Lashkar-e-Taiba.

During talks this week, Indian and Pakistani officials will also discuss trade, confidence-building measures and the disputed region of Kashmir.

India is also expected to raise the release of an Indian prisoner who has been on death row in Pakistan for 20 years.