WASHINGTON: The United States wants China to help improve relations between India and Pakistan and to work with it to ensure that neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan is used as a base for terrorism, says US President Barack Obama.

Mr Obama emphasised both points in his remarks in Beijing on Tuesday and they were also included in a joint statement issued after talks between the US president and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.

‘President Hu and I also discussed our mutual interest in security and stability of Afghanistan and Pakistan. And neither country can or should be used as a base for terrorism,’ said Mr Obama.

The text issued by the White House in Washington also quoted him as saying that the two sides ‘agreed to cooperate more on meeting this goal, including bringing about more stable, peaceful relations in all of South Asia’.

President Hu, who spoke first in the briefing, however, did not mention Pakistan or South Asia.

But a joint statement, issued after their talks, included both. A text of the statement, also released by the White House, quoted the two governments as saying that they welcomed all efforts ‘conducive to peace, stability and development’ in South Asia.

‘They support the efforts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism, maintain domestic stability and achieve sustainable economic and social development, and support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan,’ the statement said.

‘The two sides are ready to strengthen communication, dialogue and cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together to promote peace, stability and development in that region.’

The joint statement is the product of weeks of discussions between the two sides and that’s why it’s likely to be taken seriously in South Asian capitals.

Diplomatic observers in Washington describe this as a significant development as it indicates America’s recognition of China’s growing influence in Asia.

In doing so, the United States also has accepted the fact that China could play an important role in not only improving India-Pakistan relations but also in bringing stability to Afghanistan.

The acknowledgement runs contrary to predictions of US foreign policy experts that the US would not accept China’s growing role in Asia.

Diplomatic observers, however, noted that the Indian government, which has always opposed third-party mediation between India and Pakistan, is likely to be worried about the new development.