IN his letter headlined ‘Shannon stopover critics hide behind US security shelter’ (January 25), Jim Forde responds to the letter (January 18) from John Lannon of Shannonwatch who criticises what he believes is Ireland’s effective involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the compromise of its neutrality.

Indian and Pakistani officials today held extensive talks on terrorism and Kashmir - the two key issues that have fuelled decades of hostility between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours.