Powell, Musharraf discuss Kashmir: US not to take army action in subcontinent
By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 26: Secretary of State Colin Powell has spoken to President Pervez Musharraf amid continued US concern over the situation in Kashmir, according to the State Department.
Briefing journalists in Washington, spokesman Richard Boucher said Mr Powell spoke with President Musharraf on Friday, days before a scheduled visit to South Asia by Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage.
“We have continued to be concerned about that situation (in Kashmir), and the secretary spoke today with President Musharraf about (it),” he said.
He said the administration had been talking with Pakistan as well as keeping in touch with the Indian government about “steps that we can take to try to help them decrease tensions (in Kashmir).”
Asked what message Deputy Secretary Armitage would take with him when he visited India and Pakistan early next month, the spokesman said he had nothing new to share but the United States would continue to urge them to decrease tensions.
The State Department has recently indicated that it is particularly concerned at the sharp increase in violence in the valley days before Mr Armitage’s visit to the subcontinent.
Meanwhile, Congressman Frank Pallone has urged the Bush administration to step up pressure on Pakistan to put an end to “cross-border attacks” and take advantage of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s offer of talks.
In a letter to Mr Powell, he said: “The opportunity may not last very long because Mr Vajpayee is under a considerable amount of domestic pressure to take a harder stand against Pakistan.” Since the Musharraf government is not serious about ending cross-border terrorism, it is for the United States to drive home the message, he said.
NO MILITARY ACTION: US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Saturday he did not envision any military action in the subcontinent to root out “terrorism”, AFP adds.
“The United States is committed to fighting terrorism and we demonstrated in Afghanistan that we are prepared to use military force if necessary, but I cannot envision any circumstances in which any US military forces might be used in the subcontinent,” Mr Powell told Star TV in an interview.
He said “terrorism” was a worldwide problem and all nations “including nations on the subcontinent” had to work hard and do everything “within the power of government to eliminate terrorism as a way of political expression.”
He said the US had been pressing Pakistan to stop cross-border infiltration.
“We have spoken clearly and directly to Pakistani colleagues on many occasions about the need to eliminate action across the LoC,” Mr Powell said.
