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Bush asks Musharraf to stop cross-border terrorism
US President George W Bush has emphatically asked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to stop cross-border terrorism against India and create conditions for `meaningful dialogue between both the countries`, a senior US Administrative official has said.
US President George W Bush has emphatically asked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to stop cross-border terrorism against India and create conditions for "meaningful dialogue between both the countries", a senior US Administrative official has said.
"Bush has personally told Musharraf and the US Ambassador in Pakistan also keeps telling him to stop cross-border terrorism before there can be any meaningful dialogue," the official told Indian and Pakistani media in Washington on Thursday.
"We are in a new day. Pakistan has to make strategic changes, not tactical one. There is no place for cross-border terrorism and even Musharraf had agreed to that", he said.
Asked if Musharraf does not heed US advice and continues with terrorism, the senior official said, "We take him at his word. He is an important ally. We will be with him if he acts, if he plays games, then there will be a problem."
Recalling Bush's offer at a joint press conference with Musharraf, to facilitate a meaningful dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, he said, "Both countries will have to engage and we will be sitting on the sidelines encouraging".
Expressing happiness at Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Pakistan the official said, "It shows that that Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee does not want to shut off contacts with Pakistan,".
Indicating US' willingness to mediate between the two countries, the official said, "We continue to believe that mediation is not for us. But if we can be of assistance, if both want us to be, we will help".
The official said a "mere meeting" between the heads of India and Pakistan will not help if it is followed by recrimination as was witnessed after the Agra sumit.
He said US believes that both the countires should withdraw the army build-up along the borders as a confidence-building measure before resumption of talks.
He said the US would like to see free and fair elections in Kashmir in which everyone including Hurriyat participates.
On the recent communal violence in Gujarat, he said, "I regret the tremendous loss of life, but does not see any foreign policy problem." Bureau Report
"Bush has personally told Musharraf and the US Ambassador in Pakistan also keeps telling him to stop cross-border terrorism before there can be any meaningful dialogue," the official told Indian and Pakistani media in Washington on Thursday.
"We are in a new day. Pakistan has to make strategic changes, not tactical one. There is no place for cross-border terrorism and even Musharraf had agreed to that", he said.
Asked if Musharraf does not heed US advice and continues with terrorism, the senior official said, "We take him at his word. He is an important ally. We will be with him if he acts, if he plays games, then there will be a problem."
Recalling Bush's offer at a joint press conference with Musharraf, to facilitate a meaningful dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, he said, "Both countries will have to engage and we will be sitting on the sidelines encouraging".
Expressing happiness at Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Pakistan the official said, "It shows that that Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee does not want to shut off contacts with Pakistan,".
Indicating US' willingness to mediate between the two countries, the official said, "We continue to believe that mediation is not for us. But if we can be of assistance, if both want us to be, we will help".
The official said a "mere meeting" between the heads of India and Pakistan will not help if it is followed by recrimination as was witnessed after the Agra sumit.
He said US believes that both the countires should withdraw the army build-up along the borders as a confidence-building measure before resumption of talks.
He said the US would like to see free and fair elections in Kashmir in which everyone including Hurriyat participates.
On the recent communal violence in Gujarat, he said, "I regret the tremendous loss of life, but does not see any foreign policy problem." Bureau Report