Categorically ruling out any interference on the Kashmir issue, the United States administration has said that it wants India and Pakistan to address the issue in a way that eases tension between the two South Asian neighbours, which it believes is crucial to promote regional peace.
"The United States is not looking for mediation role, but rather we want India and Pakistan to be able to address these issues in a way that eases tensions, because we think it is really in benefit of both countries and also for promoting regional stability," National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer told PTI.
National Security Council is the inter-agency coordination body of the White House headed by General James Jones, who recently toured India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Hammer said issues regarding tension between India and Pakistan came up for discussion during Jones' week-long trip to the region, but the US reiterated its stand that this has to be handled by New Delhi and Islamabad alone and that the United States has no mediatory role in it.
"We have had of course opportunities to discuss relationship between India and Pakistan. It is in our interest in seeing that the meetings that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had with (Pakistani) President (Asif Ali) Zardari in Russia continue in the sense that it is important for both country to engage in a dialogue and to try to ease tensions," he said.
"We are encouraged by that and we hope that both countries would continue that effort," said Hammer, who accompanied General Jones to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Noting that there is a common interest between India and the US in trying to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said there are some specific issues, which relate bilaterally between India and Pakistan including Kashmir.
"On Kashmir, as I stated previously, we are not looking for mediation role," he asserted, adding that it is for India and Pakistan to address on their own.
"In relation to issues of terrorism, I can assure you that was discussed both in India and Pakistan. We feel that both countries, India and Pakistan are committed to combating terrorism and we just need to ensure that attacks like what happened in Mumbai do not reoccur," Hammer said.
"I think those points were made loud and clear during our visit there -- our concerns about the security situation in the region and in working together to avert any kind of terrorist act or activities," Hammer said.
The spokesman said the United States will welcome any measures that each country can take to ease tensions and to improve the dialogue between the two countries.
"It is important for the security and stability of the region that India and Pakistan overcome some of the historical difficulties and tensions that we have seen in the past," Hammer said.
