Pakistan tells India to avoid 'blame game' over bombs

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has appealed to India to avoid engaging in a "blame game" over last week's Mumbai blasts and called New Delhi's decision to delay peace talks a victory for terrorists.

Condemning the July 11 attacks that killed more than 180 people and wounded hundreds more in India's financial hub, the Pakistani leader gave a message of support to the grieving city.

"I want to tell the people of Mumbai that we are extremely saddened by the loss of lives and I condole with the bereaved families," Musharraf said in a televised address on state-run Pakistan Television.

"I want to assure them that Pakistan and its people are with you in this moment of grief and in fighting terrorism."

Musharraf's address took place on the day foreign secretaries of the two countries were due to meet in New Delhi to review the progress in the 2 year-old peace process.

India postponed the talks at the weekend, saying the atmosphere was not conducive for the meeting.

Musharraf said that decision was "in my view a victory for the terrorists", and said both sides should refrain from making unsubstantiated comments.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the peace process had suffered and it was time to reflect on relations with Pakistan, though he tempered his comments by adding that he didn't think there had been a setback to the peace process.

Although no breakthrough has yet been made in the probe into serial blasts on commuter trains in Mumbai, Indian suspicions have fallen on Indian Muslim militants with ties to either Pakistani based groups or Pakistan's own military spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence.

"To start this blame game, I feel this is first sign of defeat. We must think and behave carefully and with patience and give comments thoughtfully. No one should give unsubstantiated comments," Musharraf said.

The Pakistani leader reiterated offers to co-operate in any investigation into the Mumbai attacks, just as he did after a series of blast in New Delhi last October.

So far, India has neither shared nor asked for information since Musharraf first offered cooperation last year.

Before the peace process began, India had given Pakistan a list of 20 names wanted for terrorist crimes, but Pakistan never acted on the list.

- REUTERS