Washington, Feb 5: The United States has welcomed India’s offer to Pakistan to resume official level talks, saying a dialogue among India, Pakistan and Afghanistan was a key component of achieving a stable region.
“This is a welcome move,” the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, PJ Crowley, told reporters at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department.
“We are supportive of dialogue among India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan as a key component of moving ahead and achieving a stable region,” he said adding: “I’m not familiar with that particular report, but we certainly have been encouraging steps that both Pakistan and India could take to address mutual concerns and to take appropriate steps so that tensions can be reduced, cooperation can be increased, and as a result, you have a more stable region that is focused on threats, both interests that they share and threats that they share.”
India Thursday sent a formal proposal to Pakistan for talks between their foreign secretaries and pledged to pursue the discussions with “an open and positive mind”.
Terming it as a breakthrough in Indo-Pak relationship, a US-based strategic think tank has said that New Delhi’s offer to have Foreign Secretary-level talks with Islamabad is driven by India’s concerns over Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan.
“Though little progress has been made in India’s efforts to get Islamabad to crack down on India-focused militants operating on Pakistani soil, India’s concerns over Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan are driving New Delhi toward engagement with Islamabad,” said Stratfor, which provides strategic intelligence on security and geopolitical affairs.
“India knows the only way it can edge into the Afghanistan dialogue and hope to influence the Taliban negotiations is to first reopen a diplomatic channel with Pakistan,” it said in its news analysis on India’s offer of talks with Islamabad.
Stratfor said United States and Pakistan are showing signs of realigning their views on how to negotiate with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The US needs results in this war on a short timeline, and is finding that it must work with Pakistan if it wants to see progress in negotiations with the Taliban.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 6 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST