News
Sunday, April 11, 2010
For Obama, it’s a delicate balance on India, Pakistan
* Islamabad seeks US role over Kashmir, Delhi considers dispute ‘a domestic issue’
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama’s drive to build relations with both India and Pakistan faces a delicate test as leaders of the nuclear-armed rivals come to Washington for a major security summit.
Obama is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani within hours of each other on Sunday, on the eve of a 47-nation summit on improving nuclear security.
But no meeting has been scheduled between Singh and Gilani. The two nations cautiously resumed talks in February, which had been cut off after the Mumbai assault in 2008.
Robert Blake, the assistant secretary of state for South Asia, said that the “pace, scope and character of relations” between India and Pakistan was up to the two countries.
“The US hopes that India and Pakistan can improve relations between two friends of Washington,” he added.
Seeking role: At a first-of-a-kind strategic dialogue with the US last month, Pakistan presented one item on its wish list: a US role in Kashmir.
The US has publicly ruled out mediation over Kashmir, which India considers a domestic issue. But some supporters of India have worried the Obama administration may put subtle pressure on New Delhi.
Edward Burrier, an adviser to Republican Congressman Ed Royce, said that the US should devote its energy to fighting Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LT).
“I’m sympathetic to the view that to reduce troop tensions on the India-Pakistan border, you can’t leave Kashmir hanging out there forever,” Burrier said.
“But it seems the best way to reduce tensions between the two is pressing on Pakistan to permanently arrest the LT’s leadership and to crack down on the organisation, not lean on New Delhi,” Burrier said.
Blake said he encouraged Pakistan to crack down on Lashkar-e-Tayyaba during a visit in March, while praising the government’s actions against militants elsewhere.
Indian commentators have recently voiced outrage that US prosecutors reached a plea deal with David Headley.
India and Pakistan are both seen as crucial to the theme of Obama’s summit – preventing an attack from loose nuclear materials. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk