Holbrooke to visit India in Aug, denies rift

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jul 30 (PTI) Denying any "rift" or
"complications" behind postponement of his visit to India, US
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard
Holbrooke Thursday said he will be in New Delhi in mid-August.

"There were no complications. I have three or four people
in India who are my main policy interlocutors. All but one of
them were going to be out of the country," he said, explaining
that this was the reason why he could not travel to India
during his recent trip to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Brussels.

"There's no issue here," Holbrooke said, emphasising that
he would be visiting India next month. "I am going to go back
in mid-August. Within the limits of Indian Independence day.
They all are looking forward to my coming."

Asked if there was a rift between the US and India on the
issue of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Holbrooke said there are
no differences between them.

"You know, India was the first country in the world I was
ever aware of. I have a very special feeling for it. And if
there's a rift, you have to ask the Indians. I didn't see any
rift," the US envoy said.

Holbrooke was scheduled to visit India during his just-
concluded trip to the region, but could not make it due to
"scheduling mismatch."

"It was basically when he was en route to Pakistan we
found out," one of his aides told State Department Press Corps
about postponement of Holbrooke's visit to India. PTI LKJ
DdC
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