Karzai extends sympathy, support to India after Mumbai attacks

Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged "solidarity" with India in the fight against terrorism during a visit Monday in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks that claimed 165 lives.
Karzai, who arrived here Sunday on his second visit to India in five months, held talks with Premier Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee on "the challenges posed by terrorism" in the region, a government source said.
A foreign ministry statement said both sides urged countries to honour their "obligations to prevent terrorism ... originating from territories under their control since terrorism emanates from the sanctuaries and training camps and the sustenance and support received by the terrorist groups".
The statement, which did not refer to Pakistan by name, described the November 26-29 Mumbai siege as "deplorable" and added that Karzai's visit was aimed at expressing "Afghanistan's solidarity with India".
Karzai's talks with Indian leaders comes within days of a trip to Kabul by Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari last week.
India and Afghanistan enjoy cordial relations but both have a difficult relationship with Pakistan.
India has accused "official agencies" in Pakistan of involvement in the Mumbai attacks in which 174 people, including nine gunmen, were killed. Pakistan has strongly denied that accusation.
Afghanistan says the extremist campaign being waged on its soil has the backing of elements in Pakistan, where militants have safe havens in the lawless tribal areas along their common border.