Dialogue essential to reduce Indo-Pak `bilateral tensions`: US

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jun 18 (PTI) Describing the meeting between
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President
Asif Ali Zardari in Russia as "productive", the White House
says that dialogue is essential to reduce "bilateral tensions"
and stabilise the region.

"We are glad to hear the (two) leaders had a productive
meeting in Russia and hope that they will continue to talk and
meet regularly," White House National Security Council
spokesman Mike Hammer told PTI.

Singh and Zardari met on the sidelines of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation summit in Russia for the first time
after the Mumbai terror attacks which killed 183 people and
stalled the composite dialogue process.

"The (Obama) Administration welcomes dialogue between
the leaders of India and Pakistan, which we feel is essential
to reducing bilateral tensions," Hammer said.

Announcing his new Af-Pak policy, US President Barack
Obama on March 27 stressed on the need to engage both India
and Pakistan in constructive diplomacy so as to reduce the
tension between the two countries.

In the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks,
India had stopped peace dialogue with Pakistan.

The Obama Administration, which is focusing on
Afghanistan and Pakistan, believes that better ties between
India and Pakistan is the key to the success in the war
against terrorism in the region. It has been urging both the
countries to restart the dialogue and efforts to improve
relationship between them.

"We are strongly supportive of such efforts as they
help to stabilise the region," Hammer said.

Early this week, the State Department too had welcomed
the meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders in Russia.

"A resumption of such high-level engagement in the
aftermath of the November Mumbai attacks is encouraging,"
State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly had said.

Noting that the US has always welcomed dialogue and
better relations between India and Pakistan, Kelly said: "It
is also obvious that the pace, the scope and the character of
that dialogue is something for Indian and Pakistani leaders to
decide."

How and when to approach that dialogue is something
for India and Pakistan to decide, Kelly said, reiterating the
well-known stand of the United States that there should not be
a third party mediation between the two countries.

"We have said before that India and Pakistan need to
continue their dialogue to find joint solutions against
terrorism and to promote regional stability," Kelly said. PTI