High marks to Indo-Pak leadership for reviving talks: Clinton

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Jul 22 (PTI) US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton has applauded the Indo-Pak leadership for reviving
peace talks despite opposition to it in their countries, while
ruling out mediation on the issue of Kashmir.
At a round table with Pakistani journalists in
Islamabad last week, Clinton said US mediation on the Kashmir
was not a possibility as for that to happen both sides need to
agree, which is not the case now.
The US, she said, stands ready to encourage the
dialogue between India and Pakistan that is absolutely in both
countries' interests.
She said she appreciated the leadership of the two
countries for going ahead with the talks despite opposition.
"I really give the leadership in both countries high
marks because it is not popular. They are attacked in the
press, they're attacked by organisations," she said.
But to a question on the prospect of former President
and her husband Bill Clinton assuming the role of Special US
Envoy for Pakistan and India to resolve Kashmir, she said:
"Well, in order to have anyone play that role, both sides have
to agree. And that has not been the case as of now".
She said the US would like to encourage more dialogue
between the two neighbours.
"So there are many ramifications to the longstanding
disputes over Kashmir and other issues between India and
Pakistan. So even though the officials of both governments
have been meeting, we want to encourage much more dialogue,"
Clinton said according to the transcripts made available by
the State Department.
India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna met his
Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on
July 15 and the talks ended on an acrimonious note with sharp
differences coming out in the open at their joint press
conference.
"We should work as hard as we can to encourage the
leadership of Pakistan and India to persevere despite the
attacks in both countries," Clinton said.
She observed that that it would be in the interest of
long-term security and economic benefits to try to resolve
bilateral disputes.
Favouring a resumption of ties, she said: "I happen to
think, on balance, it's even more in Pakistan's interests,
because opening markets - every businessman I speak with in
Pakistan kind of whispers to me, 'Please, can't we get the
markets open, because I want to go compete inside India',"
Clinton said in response to a question". PTI LKJ
MRD


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