NEW DELHI, Oct 18: The United States wants India and Pakistan to follow up their military de-escalation with serious talks that should include Kashmir on the agenda, US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill said on Friday.

Star News quoted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as expressing similar sentiments.

Mr Blackwill, who met Indian National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, told reporters that the US was hoping to see both sides take further de-escalatory measures.

“We continue to believe that resumption of serious dialogue between India and Pakistan over a long term and in a sustained and serious way on all issues that separate them, including Kashmir, is a good idea,” Mr Blackwill said.

At the same time, he added: “The decision about how India relates to Pakistan is totally up to the government of India. India is a great democracy”.

Mr Blackwill said that as India and Pakistan faced differences, “we think talking about them in a serious manner is better than no talking about them.”

India said on Wednesday it would pull back a substantial number of troops deployed for nearly a year on the border with Pakistan — except in the disputed region of Kashmir.

Pakistan said the next day it would follow suit.

However, India ruled out any immediate resumption of talks with Pakistan.

The US has conducted many rounds of shuttle diplomacy to ward off a confrontation between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan had on Thursday pledged to withdraw hundreds of thousands of troops from the border. Islamabad said troops would be pulled back to “peacetime locations,” and that the withdrawal would begin soon.

Star News in a dispatch from Washington quoted US State Department Richard Boucher as welcoming the withdrawal of troops by India and Pakistan. Mr Boucher said the pullback would lead to a reduction in tensions and risks.

Mr Mishra, regarded as the chief architect of the recent Indian de- escalatory measures, has come under severe attack from rightwing Hindu groups, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, who oppose any peace overtures with Pakistan.