Kashmir internal matter of India

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) In a snub to Pakistan, the US
Thursday said Kashmir is an internal matter of India which
will only decide when to take it up bilaterally with
Islamabad.
"We duly note that this (Kashmir) is an indigenous and
internal issue to India and when India decides to take this
issue on they will do it in a bilateral sense with Pakistan,
at the appropriate scope, level and pace they want to engage
in," US Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer told talk show host
Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate programme for CNN-IBN.
He said that the US deeply regretted the injuries, loss
of lives, damage to property and the difficulties that have
taken place this last summer in Kashmir.
Roemer also recalled that President Barack Obama had
clearly told his Pakistan counterpart Asif Ali Zardari that
the US will not be part of any military build up against
India.
"US will not be part of any kind of military build up
against the people of India. Let me be clear Mr Zardari,"
Roemer said, quoting Obama from a recent book authored by Bob
Woodward.
Roemer pointed out that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh has been favouring a stable Pakistan as it was in
India's interest so that it can grow at 8-9 per cent a year
and have more inclusive growth.
Seeking to allay India's apprehensions on US arms sale to
Pakistan, he said the weapons were targeted at terrorists and
not at India and the American Congress will ensure that they
are used for the intended purpose.
"Some of the arms sales the US has to Pakistan are
geared to counter-insurgency efforts to concentrate on the
cancer and on the terrorism internally that can further
destabilise Pakistan that is not in India's interest at all.
Therefore these weapons are targeted at terrorists not at
India," Roemer said