The Hindu : 'Armitage visit will cover all aspects'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2003

International

International

'Armitage visit will cover all aspects'

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON APRIL 24. The State Department has said that the coming visit of the Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, to the subcontinent is not only for pushing bilateral relations of the United States but also to look for steps to ease tensions between India and Pakistan.

"... there are plenty of bilateral issues, how to further the progress in those relationships. And there's also the relationship between India and Pakistan, looking for more steps that can be taken to ease the tensions, decrease the — stop the infiltration, ease the tensions, look towards a dialogue between the two," the spokesman, Richard Boucher, said on Mr. Armitage's trip to Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

Mr. Armitage, expected in the region in the first week of May, will hold extensive talks with officials and leaders of India and Pakistan. But at this time the State Department does not want to get into the nitty-gritty of the visit or speculate on the scope of the talks.

India-Pakistan relations will be a key component, it is maintained.

"So without getting more specific at this point, we'll see where we are when he actually goes. But there's always ways to further that process and I'm sure he'll want to discuss," Mr. Boucher added.

In spite of being tied down to the war on Iraq and in the post-conflict stage, the Bush administration has been paying attention to the rhetoric between India and Pakistan as to which country is "more fit' for pre-emptive military action. Washington has rejected the notion that there are parallels to the situation in Iraq, especially as it pertained to Kashmir; and has reiterated that dialogue is the only solution to the problem between India and Pakistan.

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