ID :
59234
Wed, 05/06/2009 - 16:21
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/59234
The shortlink copeid
US keen to rope in new govt in India in fighting terror in Pak
Lalit K Jha
Washington, May 6 (PTI) Stating that India shares US
concerns on the deteriorating situation on Pakistan's western
border, a top official has said that Washington is keen to
forge "effective" cooperation with the new government in New
Delhi to root out the "common threat" of terrorism.
"They really do share the understanding that what's
happening in western Pakistan is of direct concern to them,"
Richard Holbrooke, Special US Envoy for Afghanistan and
Pakistan said.
"The Indians have been public in saying they're not
happy with the cooperation they got after the Mumbai attacks.
We all know that," he said while appearing before the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs Tuesday.
Holbrooke also said that the Obama administration was
eagerly looking forward to the formation of a new government
in India so that it could start the process of effective
cooperation with New Delhi and Islamabad to root out the
common threat of terrorism from Pakistan.
His comments came on the eve of the trilateral summit
between US President Barack Obama will have with his Pakistani
and Afghan counterparts, Asif Ali Zardari and Hamid Karzai
here to chalk out a common strategy to fight the Taliban in
the region.
The trilateral meeting is an initiative of Obama, who
wants to establish his own channel of direct communication
with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the prime focus
of his foreign policy.
Holbrooke noted that since India was in the middle of a
general election, the authorities there have not taken any
decision with regard to Pakistan so far. But Indian
authorities share Washington's concern over the deteriorating
situation on Pakistan's western border, he said.
"They have been listening, they've been very interested
but they have not taken any clear positions at this point,"
Holbrook told Congressmen, summarising his two recent trips to
New Delhi and Islamabad.
Holbrooke also noted that for the first time since
partition, India, Pakistan and the US have a common threat, a
common enemy and a common task.
He hoped that "after the elections and after these
bills (on tripling non-military aid to Pakistan in the US
Senate and House of Representatives), we will be able to move
to more of a consensus that a common threat requires common
actions.
"Ever since I took this job, India's been in election
campaign. They're voting right now; there's 700 million people
voting. The elections will be finished in about less than two
weeks, and I look forward to returning and then I would be
happy to return and give you a better answer," he said.
But there are a lot of moving parts here, he said
without explaining any further. PTI
Washington, May 6 (PTI) Stating that India shares US
concerns on the deteriorating situation on Pakistan's western
border, a top official has said that Washington is keen to
forge "effective" cooperation with the new government in New
Delhi to root out the "common threat" of terrorism.
"They really do share the understanding that what's
happening in western Pakistan is of direct concern to them,"
Richard Holbrooke, Special US Envoy for Afghanistan and
Pakistan said.
"The Indians have been public in saying they're not
happy with the cooperation they got after the Mumbai attacks.
We all know that," he said while appearing before the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs Tuesday.
Holbrooke also said that the Obama administration was
eagerly looking forward to the formation of a new government
in India so that it could start the process of effective
cooperation with New Delhi and Islamabad to root out the
common threat of terrorism from Pakistan.
His comments came on the eve of the trilateral summit
between US President Barack Obama will have with his Pakistani
and Afghan counterparts, Asif Ali Zardari and Hamid Karzai
here to chalk out a common strategy to fight the Taliban in
the region.
The trilateral meeting is an initiative of Obama, who
wants to establish his own channel of direct communication
with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the prime focus
of his foreign policy.
Holbrooke noted that since India was in the middle of a
general election, the authorities there have not taken any
decision with regard to Pakistan so far. But Indian
authorities share Washington's concern over the deteriorating
situation on Pakistan's western border, he said.
"They have been listening, they've been very interested
but they have not taken any clear positions at this point,"
Holbrook told Congressmen, summarising his two recent trips to
New Delhi and Islamabad.
Holbrooke also noted that for the first time since
partition, India, Pakistan and the US have a common threat, a
common enemy and a common task.
He hoped that "after the elections and after these
bills (on tripling non-military aid to Pakistan in the US
Senate and House of Representatives), we will be able to move
to more of a consensus that a common threat requires common
actions.
"Ever since I took this job, India's been in election
campaign. They're voting right now; there's 700 million people
voting. The elections will be finished in about less than two
weeks, and I look forward to returning and then I would be
happy to return and give you a better answer," he said.
But there are a lot of moving parts here, he said
without explaining any further. PTI