US President George W Bush on Thursday told Home Minister L K Advani that he expects Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to abandon terror as an instrument of state policy.
Bush, who dropped in during a meeting Advani had with National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice at the White House, told him about his expectations from Musharraf.
Shortly later, Advani told reporters that he feels satisfied with the Bush assurance.
However, Advani told Bush that Pakistan would be judged by actions which should accompany its statements.
Advani said his engagement with the National Security Adviser gave him an opportunity of having "the most important discussions of my tour--with President Bush."
Bush, said Advani, dropped in and "I must say that I feel satisfied that the United States is determined to see the end of terrorism everywhere and the President conveyed to me that he expects Pakistan and Gen Musharraf to take all necessary steps in fighting terror."
Musharraf has done it in the case of the Taliban and President Bush expects him to do it in the case of India also and abandon terror as an instrument of state policy.
Advani said "I mentioned to him that this had been conveyed to me by the Secretary of State yesterday that they (the US) are trying to do their best insofar as stamping out terrorism wherever it is and I repeated what I said yesterday, namely that in India, Pakistan's actions will be judged not by the statements it makes but by the actions which accompany such statements.
"By and large, I would say this most important meeting of my trip brought me immense satisfaction. President Bush is determined to see that what he has been saying since September 11 is actually implemented."
Advani said what he had just said came from the highest executive of the United States and it makes all the difference.
Asked if President Bush told him what he has been saying often, that India should take note of what Pakistan has been doing to fight terrorism, Advani said, nothing was said in this manner.
But, by and large, India has to take note of everything that has been happening, he added.
"As I said yesterday(Wednesday) when I met the press that our concern has been that even after September 11, insofar as India is concerned, there has been no let up in terrorism from across the border and if a change comes about, it will come not only on the basis of Musharraf's statements but by the actions that will follow," Advani said.
The Home Minister rounded off his
brief interaction with the media on the White House lawns saying "I did
find the President very forthcoming and very firm and all that he has said
in the past he repeated."