The US on Thursday once again called upon New Delhi and Islamabad to make common cause against terrorism and not fight each other and made a fresh plea to Pakistan to act against terrorists within its borders. "We think that there is a need here, an opportunity here, for both India and Pakistan each to take action against terrorists. The president has made clear that it is important for India and Pakistan to make common cause against terrorists who are trying to destabilize this whole region."
"It is not the time for India and Pakitan to start taking action against each other. So this has been an issue that we have worked on. We have worked on it very closely with the leaders of these countries, and each of them in their own way is important to the fight against terrorism."
"We think it is time for everybody to continue to pursue the fight against terrorism, the fight against terrorism that has emanated from Afghanistan, and the links that it has to other places." Boucher noted that secretary of state Colin Powell was in touch with Indian and Pakistani leaders. He had spoken to external affairs minister Jaswant Singh on Monday and Tuesday night and to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf foreign minister Abdul Sattar on Wednesday to continue working with them on the fight against terrorism.

Boucher said that we should not neglect the important statement that Prime Minister Vajpayee made in Parliament on Wednesday, to say that India was also exploring other than military options, and wants to look at diplomatic and other ways of achieving satisfaction.


Bureau Report