We will monitor further: Pranab Mukherjee

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We will monitor further actions by Pak: Mukherjee

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Welcoming Pakistan's response to the Mumbai dossier as "positive development", India today said it will monitor further actions by Islamabad with regard to ending cross-border terror and underlined that the neighbour has to choose what kind of ties it wants with New Delhi.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha on Pakistan's admission that the conspiracy was partly hatched in that country, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said much on the future of bilateral ties will depend on what actions Islamabad takes to take the Mumbai case to its logical end.

He said the "substantial gains" in the process of normalisation achieved during the last five years are at "grave risk" as the dialogue process is premised on the commitments given by Pakistan that territories under its control would not be used for terrorism against India in any manner.

"In their official response, the Pakistan authorities have admitted that elements in Pakistan were involved in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai... This is a positive development," Mukherjee told the House, a day after Islamabad conveyed its response.

He noted that Pakistan is still in the process of investigating the attacks and have taken certain actions, including the arrest of some of those who were involved and filed FIRs in Pakistan. PTI

Economy will grow by 7 percent: Pranab

NEW DELHI: The Indian economy will grow by 7 percent this fiscal even as recent projections by global agencies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) say that advanced countries' economies would shrink by 2 percent, Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said here on Thursday.

"I am proud to say that in 2008-09 India will still grow by 7 percent," said Mukherjee while addressing the 81st annual general meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

He referred to the latest projections for growth by IMF that says advanced countries would shrink by 2 percent.

However Mukherjee also said that it was not going to be a smooth ride for India.

"India faces a special challenge from the international financial crisis. In a globalised economy while India cannot be immune to the impact of the crisis, we have to address this on many fronts," he said.

Maintaining that the government would be looking at several avenues to spur growth, Mukherjee said: "There is a need to sustain our foreign trade, revive foreign investment and generate domestic demand in order to maintain our growth rate which are essential to the uplift of the multitude below poverty line."

"India remains committed to work with its friends including the G20 for devising a new global financial structure," he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/Economy-will-grow-by-7-percent-Pranab/articleshow/4116285.cms