Sensitive Indo-Pak issues blackened in declassified US papers

Washington, Sept 11 (PTI) The Bush Administration had
told President Pervez Musharraf in 2001 to take certain steps
on Kashmir to bring down tensions with India, but these have
been blackened in the latest US declassified documents
released Sunday as they are considered sensitive.
"Our vision of a fully restored bilateral relationship is
also premised upon Musharraf's making good on his pledge to
hold free and fair elections, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. These moves on
Kashmir, nonproliferation, and democracy will provide
congressional and public support to further enhance our
relationship with Pakistan," Colin Powell, the then Secretary
of State says in a memo to US President George Bush on
November 5, 2001 ahead of his meeting with the Pakistani
military ruler.
The relevant portion on Kashmir are still considered
sensitive enough by the US Government to be made public.
As a result, those portions have been blackened in the
latest set of documents released by the National Security
Archive (NSA) on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, but
does indicate that the Bush Administration had asked Musharraf
to take certain steps on Kashmir.
In this memo, Powell refers to Kashmir as a flash point
for possible conflict between India and Pakistan. But again
the relevant portion on Kashmir has been blackened in this top
secret memo.
"Tensions in Kashmir threaten our efforts in Afghanistan
and are a flashpoint for possible Indo-Pakistani conflict. On
October 1, a terrorist attack on the state assembly in Kashmir
resulted in 38 civilian deaths. India subsequently shelled
positions in Pakistan. XXXXXXX," Powell says in his two-page
memo to Bush.
In the same memo, Powell says, countering Indian and
Pakistani nuclear and missile proliferation is a key issue.
"In Islamabad, I raised our proliferation concerns,
XXXXXXX with Musharraf, underscoring that lifting the
nuclear-related sanctions did not signal a lessening of our
concerns or a green light to further nuclear or missile
procurements," Powell wrote.
"We need to stress the importance of exercising restraint
and terminating any onward proliferation. We have agreed to
continue our nonproliferation dialogue," he said.
Since September 11, 2001, Powell said, Pakistan has
incurred significant economic and military costs, with a
particular toll on its main export, textiles.
According to Powell, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs
Al Larson traveled to Islamabad to discuss assistance, trade
issues, and debt.
"We are working with the G-7 and the Paris Club to
encourage increased support and to address Pakistan's debt
burden. We are providing USD 100 million in budgetary support,
with an additional USD 500 million planned, as well as a USD
73 million border security aid package," he wrote in the memo
to Bush that now forms part of the documents released by the
NSA.
"We have promised to assist new refugees if the border is
opened to them. You have signed into law sanctions relief to
allow more military assistance and training. We have supported
a USD 135 million tranche of International Monetary Fund (IMF)
lending and over USD 1 billion in projects financed by World
Bank and Asian Development Bank," he said.
Powell said in the memo that US is working to strengthen
Pakistan's export sector, including consulting with Congress
to improved Pakistan's market access for textile exports.