Pak hampering implementation of SAFTA: Mukherjee

KABUL, Jan 24 (Agencies): India today accused Pakistan of hampering implementation of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) because of its refusal to agree to free trade.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Pakistan has not reciprocated to India's gesture of offering tariff reduction and instead stuck to its position of doing trade on the basis of a 'positive list' of items.

"Operationalisation of SAFTA could not take place as Pakistan never agreed to free trade," he told journalists accompanying him before winding up his two-day visit here primarily to extend invitation to Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the 14th SAARC Summit to be held in April.

Mukherjee said Pakistan has insisted on doing trade with India on the basis of 'positive list' only which recently was updated to include over 1000 items from 773 items.

The issue figured during his recent visit to Pakistan, the minister said and added that the matter will now be discussed by the SAARC Council of Ministers next month.

Referring to Afghanistan's inclusion in SAARC as its eighth member, Mukherjee said it assumes significance as it marks completion of the integration process of the regional organization.

"Afghanistan's inclusion will strengthen the SAARC process.

It will also provide a linkage between South Asia and Central Asia," the Minister said but regretted that Pakistan has not shown readiness so far to allow transit facility.

He said the issue of transit was discussed during his visit to Islamabad recently.

"Pakistan should respond, not just in words but also in action".

Pointing out that India and Afghanistan had shared concern over cross-border terrorism, Mukherjee underlined that resurgence of Taliban was hampering reconstruction and development of the war-ravaged country.

He said Taliban cadres were operating from border areas and their activities needed to be curbed for reconstruction and development process of Afghanistan to succeed.

This is the primary objective of NATO, said the minister who discussed the issue with Karzai and Afghanistan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta here.

Democrats accuse Bush of 'recklessly' taking US to war in Iraq WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Agencies): Accusing President George W.

Bush of "recklessly" taking the country to war in Iraq and turning away attention from the larger war against terrorism, Democrats have warned the White House that it better put in place a new direction in both domestic and foreign policies or be shown one.

The sharp Democratic response to the President's State of the Union address was delivered by Senator Jim Webb of Virginia.

"With respect to foreign policy, this country has patiently endured a mismanaged war for nearly four years.

Many, including myself, warned even before the war began that it was unnecessary; that it would take our energy and attention away from the larger war against terrorism; and that invading and occupying Iraq would leave us strategically vulnerable in the most violent and turbulent corner of the world," Webb said in his remarks after Bush's address.

"The president took us into this war recklessly.

We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable - and predicted - disarray that has followed" the former Navy Secretary and Vietnam War veteran charged.

"The war's costs to our nation have been staggering: financially; the damage to our reputation around the world; the lost opportunities to defeat the forces of international terrorism; and especially the precious blood of our citizens who have stepped forward to serve.

The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought.

Nor does the majority of our military.

Nor does the majority of Congress" Webb maintained.