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WASHINGTON, Oct 15: President George Bush on Monday asked Pakistan and India to “stand down” at this time when the US was conducting military operations in Afghanistan.
The president made this remark when asked to comment on the latest incident of Indian firing across the Line of Control.
Talking to reporters at the White House, Mr Bush said he was unaware of the details of the particular incident, but it was very important that “India and Pakistan should stand down during our activities in Afghanistan —— and for that matter, for ever.”
The president pointed out that Secretary of State Colin Powell was in the region, and was there to talk to both sides. If there were tensions between the two, and obviously there were, they should be reduced, and “we’re mindful that activities around Kashmir can create issues in that part of the world, particularly as we’re conducting our operations in Afghanistan”.
At the State Department’s regular briefing on Monday afternoon also, Deputy Spokesman Philip Reeker referred to the president’s remarks and stressed that the US had always maintained that dialogue between India and Pakistan was necessary and that Pakistan and India should pursue a peaceful resolution of their disputes.
ZAHIR SHAH: Asked whether ex-Afghan king Zahir Shah’s representatives now in Islamabad for talks with Pakistan officials would also meet Powell, the spokesman said he was not aware of any such plans.
AFP ADDS: The United States will push Pakistan and India to resume their dialogue on Kashmir to relieve tensions which could lead to conflict and damage the US-led war against Afghanistan, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Monday.
Powell told reporters travelling with him on a visit to South Asia that he would press the rival nuclear powers to cool their rhetoric over Kashmir, respect the Line of Control (LoC) and avoid any military action there.
“We believe dialogue on Kashmir is important,” he said. “We believe maintenance of the Line of Control and the exercise of restraint is also very very important and the avoidance of provocative acts which could lead to a conflict of any kind.”
“I hope we will all have that mutual goal in our discussions.”
Washington is anxious that Kashmir not interfere with the operation against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.
