Pakistan should intensify efforts against militant groups because terrorism originating from its soil was "unacceptable," French President Nicolas Sarzoky said Tuesday as he paid homage to victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, DPA reported.
Sarkozy, while touring India's financial hub, visited a memorial dedicated to policemen killed while fighting Pakistani militants during the carnage two years ago.
He later addressed a memorial service at the Oberoi-Trident Hotel, one of the targets of the attacks blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. The attacks killed 166 people, including two French citizens.
The French leader noted that India's security was threatened by terrorists acting from neighbouring territories.
"It is unacceptable for Afghanistan and for our troops that Taliban and al-Qaeda should find safe haven in Pakistan's frontier areas," he said. "... It is unacceptable for the world that terrorist attacks should be masterminded or carried out by groups trained in Pakistan."
"I count on all Pakistani authorities to step up their efforts and show that they are resolute in combating these criminals," Sarkozy said.
Sarkozy said Paris attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan, adding that that country could not be condemned to be a "victim and the melting pot of world terrorism."
The Mumbai attacks derailed a five-year peace process between India and Pakistan as New Delhi demanded that Islamabad act against the masterminds of the attack and dismantle anti-India militant networks on its soil.
Sarkozy was scheduled to conclude his four-day visit to India by participating in a business summit Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, India and France signed a 9.3-billion-dollar preliminary contract for France's Areva SA to build nuclear reactors in India after talks between Sarkozy and Indian Premier Manmohan Singh.
In all, up to 20 billion dollars worth of atomic energy, defence and civil aviation deals were finalized during Sarkozy's visit, the French embassy said.
The deals include an Airbus contract to lease aircraft to India's Jet Airways and state-run Air India in separate deals worth 3.7 billion dollars and French tyre maker Michelin investing 800 million dollars in its factory in India.
The two countries also reached an agreement on upgrading more than 50 French-made Mirage 2000 fighter jets in a deal estimated at 2.1 billion dollars by local media.
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