The United States says it “encourages” India and Pakistan to engage in a “direct dialogue,” but steers clear of Pakistan’s demand that it intervene to reboot bilateral relations. This is a reiteration of the U.S. position that while it will encourage both countries to talk, it has no direct role to play.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a three-day visit of the U.S, raised with Secretary of State John Kerry and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee India’s reluctance to engage with Pakistan. He told his U.S. interlocutors about his four-point agenda for improving ties with India that he announced at the United Nations last month. India has rejected the proposal, saying that ending terrorism originating from Pakistan is essential before talks can begin.
Mr. Kerry said normalisation of India-Pakistan relations was vital for the entire region. Incidentally, Afghanistan occupies a major part of discussions between the U.S and Pakistan during Mr. Sharif’s visit.
State Department spokesperson John Kirby said India and Pakistan “stood to benefit from practical cooperation”, and the U.S encouraged both countries to engage in direct dialogue to reduce tensions.
At his meeting with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee too, Mr. Sharif brought up relations with India.
“Members noted the Prime Minister’s proposal that given India’s resistance to bilaterally resolve outstanding issues, including Kashmir, it would be imperative to have the third party intervention for which the United States would be most relevant,” a statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office said.
Mr. Kirby refused to discuss specifics of the three dossiers that Pakistan said it had given to the U.S., alleging Indian involvement in insurgency in Balochistan.
