Islamabad, May 08: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is here on a mission to normalise the relations between the South Asian neighbours. Armitage will meet President Parvez Musharraf later today.

Accompanied by Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca, Armitage arrived from London, where he held talks with National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra on the new peace process.
According to diplomatic sources, Armitage, who was credited with extracting a commitment from Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf last year to end infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC), would meet Musharraf, Jamali and Foreign Minister Khurshid Mohammed Kasuri in another bid to make Pakistan walk the talk.

The last time Armitage visited the sub-continent India and Pakistan had positioned their armies at the border ready to spark off what could potentially have deteriorated into the first nuclear conflict in the region.
Amidst several tense rounds of diplomacy, Armitage managed to coax Musharraf to live up to his anti-terrorism commitments and urged New Delhi to de-escalate the military standoff along the international border and LoC. Bureau Report