US 'encouraged' by resumption of Indo-Pak talks

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Apr 30 (PTI) The United States Friday said
that it is "encouraged" by the decision taken by Indian and
Pakistani Prime Ministers to resume dialogue between the two
neighbouring countries.
"Our understanding is, it was a very positive coordial
meeting. There were the pledges of further conversation by
their Foreign Ministers. We are very encouraged by it," US
Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley,
told PTI.
India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday met his
Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani in Thimphu on the
margins of the SAARC Summit in the Bhutanese capital during
which the two leaders agreed to resume dialogue at the level
of Foreign Ministers soon that could lead to parleys on all
outstanding issues including terrorism.
The meeting that lasted for 90-minutes was their first
"substantive engagement" after their discussions in Sharm-el-
Sheikh in Egypt in July last year.
The two Prime Ministers entrusted their Foreign
Ministers and Foreign Secretaries with the responsibility of
restoring confidence and trust in the relations that could
pave the way for substantive dialogue on outstanding issues of
mutual concern.
The Obama Administration which is quietly pushing
the two countries - through their bilateral discussions to
resume their talks - had sent Assistant Secretary of State for
South and Central Asia Robert Blake to the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit as an
observer.
A day before the much anticipated meeting, the State
Department had said the development is good for the region.
"We have encouraged the leaders of Pakistan and India,
to restore, direct dialogue that has been characteristic of
the relation between those two countries within the last few
years. We're encouraged that they are taking steps to do
that," Crowley said.
"I think we always think that when leaders of
countries, you know, particularly countries with the history
of -- the unique history of India and Pakistan -- any time
they can get together for high-level, constructive dialogue,
that is good for the region, and we support it," he said.
Meanwhile, Blake in his intervention at the SAARC
summit on Thursday, Crowley said, reflected on America's
mutual efforts to promote climate change, trade, efforts at
disaster management and mitigation, and agriculture and food
security.
"In 2010, the United States will provide a total of
USD 4.4 billion in bilateral assistance programs to member
countries of the SAARC and additional money for various
regional assistance programs," Crowley said. PTI LKJ
RDM


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