New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) Briefing parliament about the recent visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the US, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday said India and the US shared interests in the stability and development of Afghanistan and wanted Pakistan to take credible steps to destroy safe havens for terrorists.
During their talks last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama had discussed the interests of India and the US in the stability and development of Afghanistan, Krishna told the Lok Sabha.

India’s role in the rebuilding and reconstruction of Afghanistan was very much appreciated by the administration and Congress, Krishna said.

Providing a gist of the discussions between the two leaders last week, Krishna said the two leaders underscored “the absolute imperative” of bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice and stressed on the credible steps by Pakistan to eliminate safe havens and sanctuaries for terrorists.

A pact on counter-terror cooperation was signed during the visit, Krishna said.

Highlighting the achievements of Manmohan Singh’s four-day trip to the US last week as the first state guest of the Obama administration, Krishna said the visit reaffirmed the relations between India and the US and laid the foundations for further enhancing ties between the two countries.

President Obama conveyed to our prime minister that strengthening relations with the Indians was one of the highest priorities of his administration, Krishna said.

Krishna’s remarks came two days day after Obama announced a surge of extra 30,000 US troops in Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Obama Tuesday rang up Manmohan Singh and discussed the situation in Afghanistan on the eve of the formal announcement of a surge of troops in the violence-torn country.

The situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan figured prominently in discussions between Obama and Manmohan Singh in Washington Nov 24 and reflected a growing congruence of views between the two countries on tackling terrorist safe havens in these countries. The convergence of approach was reflected in the Nov 24 India-US joint statement.