Chidambaram insists India will have access to Headley

London, Mar 24 (ANI): Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday (GMT) refuted the media reports that US has denied India access to question Lashkar operative David Headley.

Addressing the media at the end of his three days London visit, Chidambaram said: "I don't think so, I think channels are interpreting it under the pressure of deadlines and if you reflect more carefully that sentence no more contradicts what the US Attorney General told me,"

Chidambaram's comment came after US envoy to India Timothy J. Roemer reportedly said the US had to follow legal procedures before India will get access to Headley.

Interacting with the media in New Delhi, Roemer had said the US is committed to full information sharing in our counter-terror partnership and in fact, in this case we have provided substantial information to the Government of India and we will continue to do so.

Issues related to police cooperation and security of Commonwealth Games figured during Chidambaram's meeting with his British counterpart Alan Johnson.

"We discussed co-operation; He suggested an MoU on Police Co-operation, I say yes, there is nothing wrong with the MoU, but we must have more practical co-operation," Chidambaram said.

"There are a number of areas where we can co-operate at practical levels between the agencies, forensic science labs, our scientists and technicians can get a chance to work with their scientists and technicians," he added.

Chidambaram informed that the UK would send a team of security experts to assist Indian forces for Commonwealth Games.

"They are going to send a team on Commonwealth (Games) security. I said yes. So I think on practical level there are a number of things we can do," Chidambaram said.

During his three days visit, Chidambaram held parleys with Foreign Secretary David Miliband and discussed issues related to India-UK bilateral dialogue on security and intelligence-related issues.

He also held parleys with senior British security officials and counter-terror experts besides visiting major intelligence and security institutions. (ANI)