US has never propped up India: Gates

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Feb 8 (PTI) United States has dismissed
Pakistani perceptions that it was propping India, saying that
New Delhi "did not need us for that purpose" and has advocated
that the two neighbours resolve their differences bilaterally.

"I would tell you that the United States clearly has
not or has ever propped up India. India has not needed us for
that purpose and, in fact, those familiar with the history
would know that our relationship with India was fairly
strained until not too many years ago," Defence Secretary
Robert Gates has said.
Gates comments came in response to questions fired at
him during his recent visit to Pakistan, full transcript of
which have released by the Pentagon.
In his exchanges with Indian and Pakistani leaders,
Gates said both the countries had said they would like to
resolve the differences bilaterally.
"Having an open and candid and completely transparent
dialogue... seems to be the best way to avoid
misunderstanding," Gates said in key remarks as New Delhi and
Islamabad are set to resume their stalled bilateral talks.
He said there were misgivings both in Islamabad and
New Delhi on the role the two countries were playing in
Afghanistan and it was essential that in any future dialogue
such a misunderstanding should be cleared.
He also suggested that India and Pakistan could deal
with the suspicions through back channel discussions.

Though both Islamabad and New Delhi saw no role for
third party intervention in their bilateral dialogue, the US
Defence Secretary said, "if we can be of any help and if the
two parties want us to be of help, we will do what we can. We
are prepared to play a constructive role, but only if both
parties want us to be involved."
Gates said US had made it clear that terrorist outfits
like the Taliban in Afghanistan, Taliban in Pakistan,
al-Qaeda, Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba were working
together which is a common threat to "US, Pakistan,
Afghanistan as well as India."
"There has to be a level of cooperation in countering
the terrorist threat in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the
United States and others to prevent the terrorists from doing
exactly what their objective is.
"Believe me, there should be no mistake; these
terrorists want to destabilise Pakistan. They would like to
see Pakistan become an extremist state and that is their
objective. And if they think they can provoke a conflict with
India, that's what they will try to do," he said.
"All I was saying when I was in India was we all have
to work together to prevent that kind of an outcome. We all
have a common enemy. We all have a common purpose," he said.
PTI LKJ