Press Releases 2008

Deputy Secretary John Negroponte's Statement in New Delhi

December 12, 2008

Thank you for your questions.  I’d like to make a brief statement.  Ambassador Mulford and I have had a chance today to have some very good meetings.  We’ve met with Foreign Secretary Menon, we just met with the Foreign Minister.  I also had a very good discussion with your National Security Advisor, Mr. Narayanan, who I had the opportunity of knowing when I was Director of National Intelligence before becoming Deputy Secretary of State.

In all of these meetings, I had an opportunity to extend the condolences of the United States to the people and to the government of India for the terrible attacks that occurred in India, in Bombay recently.  We deplore them, we think that these were dastardly acts, and of course in addition to the fact that India has been seriously aggrieved, there were United States casualties as well.  So we are also victims of these attacks.  We think it is imperative that these attacks be thoroughly investigated and we think it is also imperative that those responsible for perpetrating these attacks be brought to account.  So the effort at the moment is concentrated on investigating these attacks and bringing those responsible to account.

We’re cooperating in this effort, obviously the Government of India is in the lead, but all of our diplomatic partners have a responsibility to contribute to this effort.  That is all I would like to say at this moment and I don’t think I’ll take any questions. Thank you very much.