NEW DELHI, 19 September 2006 — Indian Prime Minister Mamohan Singh yesterday denied that pressure from the United States was behind weekend talks between him and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf that led to an agreement to resume stalled peace talks.

“The world likes neighbors to work with each other,” he told reporters onboard his aircraft en route home from the Cuban capital, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

“I totally deny any insinuation that whatever was done with Pakistan is at the behest of the US or any other country. It is a question of our own sovereign national interest,” he said.

Both countries have good relations with the US. India and the US have grown increasingly closer in recent years with relations bolstered by a landmark civilian nuclear agreement. The US in also close to Islamabad, a key ally in its war on terror.

Mamohan and Musharraf, who met on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Havana, agreed to resume peace talks that had been suspended since the July bombings in Bombay that killed more than 200 people. India blamed Pakistani-based militants for the attack. Pakistan denied the charge. Manmohan said that Musharraf had made an explicit commitment on jointly fighting terrorism during their meeting at Havana, news reports said.

Manmohan, talking to newsmen on his aircraft on the way back from Cuba, said he hoped the joint anti-terror mechanism agreed on by the South Asian neighbors would mark a new beginning in relations, PTI news agency reported. “We have now agreed on a new mechanism to deal with terrorism. The explicit mention that both countries condemn this scourge and will work together, I do think it is a new beginning,” Manmohan said referring to a joint statement issued with Musharraf.

He said the joint anti-terror mechanism must be credible and inspire confidence in both countries. “I hope it works. But, if it does not work then also we will have to deal with the consequences,” he said. “All I can say is we have made an advance. Let us give it a try ... with all sincerity,” he said.

India and Pakistan began composite talks in January 2004 to sort out differences over various issues, including border disputes and Kashmir. The last scheduled meeting of officials was called off by India after the attack in Bombay July. It was decided at the Manmohan-Musharraf meeting in Havana on Saturday that bilateral talks would be resumed and a new date would be set for a meeting of the foreign secretaries of the two countries.

“Gen. Musharraf has assured me that Pakistan had no hand in perpetuating this (terror attacks in India). He said whatever has happened in the past, let’s work together in the future and I believe this is the best we can get in the circumstances,” Manmohan said.

“There is an explicit commitment on part of Pakistan to say they will go with us to do all that is in their control to control the scourge,” he added. Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety.

The militants there are fighting to gain independence from India or for a merge with Pakistan. Manmohan said he was optimistic, but cautious about the future of the peace process. “Let us give it a try. Let us approach our state of reconciliation with all the sincerity that we can bring to bear,” he said.