India vows to repair relations with Pakistan despite concerns

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WASHINGTON, June 5 (AFP): India pledged Friday to go 'more than half the way' to repair testy relations with Pakistan but said it has received support from the United States (US) to keep a careful eye on its neighbour.
Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna has accepted an invitation to visit Islamabad next month despite continued Indian concerns about Pakistan-based Islamic militants blamed for the deadly 2008 siege of Mumbai.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "has always been saying that you tackle those who are responsible for the Mumbai attack and I'm willing to go more than half the way," Krishna told a news conference on a visit to Washington.
Pakistan's Supreme Court last week upheld the freedom of the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group blamed for the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead, rejecting a government appeal not to release him from house arrest.
Krishna said his visit to Islamabad was meant to overcome a "trust deficit" between India and Pakistan, which have fought three full-fledged wars since their separation at birth in 1947.
But Krishna said he shared India's concerns about Pakistan to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a 'strategic dialogue' Thursday.
The US Congress last year approved a five-year, 7.5 billion-dollar aid package for Pakistan to help the nuclear-armed nation build its economy and democratic institutions and to curb the appeal of Islamic extremists.
New Delhi has been concerned that US resources -- particularly military equipment -- could be diverted and used against India rather than Taliban militants in Pakistan's lawless northwest.