New Delhi, Mar 25: Rejecting as "inappropriate" the renewed US call for dialogue with Pakistan, India today regretted that the continued sponsorship of terrorism by Islamabad was being "overlooked". "If dialogue per se is more critical than combating international terrorism with all necessary means, then one can legitimately ask why both in Afghanistan and Iraq military action instead of dialogue has been resorted to," external affairs ministry spokesman said when asked about remarks made by US state department spokesman Richard Boucher in Washington.
Boucher said "violence will not solve Kashmir's problems. Dialogue remains a critical element in the normalization of relations between India and Pakistan,"
The MEA spokesman said "we see the call for dialogue by the US state department spokesman as inappropriate in the context of the heinous terrorist crime in J&K"
He said "it regretably shifts the focus from the basic problem between India and Pakistan. The problem is not lack of dialogue but continued sponsorship of terrorism by Pakistan which is being overlooked"
Boucher said "the cowardly attack appears aimed at disrupting the bold efforts of the Kashmir state government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to restore peace and religious harmony to the troubled state." Bureau Report