Pak action on 26/11, trade, precursor to Kashmir issue in Indo-Pak talks: US

WASHINGTON - Reiterating that resumption of talks between India and Pakistan was of great importance in order to stabilise the region, the United States has underlined that contentious issues like Kashmir should come up for discussion only after more vital problems like terrorism and trade are addressed.

Interacting with media persons here, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake said that first it was important that both India and Pakistan resume bilateral talks, which must culminate in bringing the Mumbai terror attack masterminds to justice, followed by trade issues, and only then contentious topics like Kashmir should be discussed.

“What’s most important is first to get these talks going again and once they’ve gotten beyond the immediate counterterrorism issues, to focus on some of the important opportunities like trade ‘before’ taking up some of these more sensitive territorial issues,” The Nation quoted Blake, as saying.

He also rejected the notion that the White House was pressurising India to hold talks with Pakistan despite lack of any substantial action taken by it against the 26/11 perpetrators.

“The US always have an interest in seeing our two friends have peaceful relations, but we are not pressurising either side,” Blake said. (ANI)