''Talks are never productive when a gun is being held to the head of the other party,'' he said.
Inderfurth underscored the importance of dialogue between the two neighbouring countries, saying that the fact that both had nuclear weapons should be ''a sobering thought for all concerned.”
''This needs to be resolved. The fact that they have nuclear weapons puts an exclamation point on the need to find a peace process,'' Inderfurth said.
Inderfurth also cited ''legitimate concerns about human rights'' and ''governance'' in Kashmir, saying that those issues needed to be addressed.
''But the first place to begin is to lower the level of violence so that there can be an environment in which talks could be productive,'' Inderfurth said.
The United States was seeking to strengthen its relationship with India, while at the same time maintaining its ''long-standing friendship'' with Pakistan, Inderfurth said, rejecting the notion that Washington was ''tilting'' toward India.
''We're not tilting toward either country, India or Pakistan,'' he said. ''We need to break out of this hyphenated notion of thinking about India and Pakistan. They are two separate countries and we'll deal with both of them on their own merits.''
Inderfurth noted that while visiting the region in March, President Bill Clinton outlined four key principles necessary to resolve the Kashmir issue-mutual restraint respect for the Line of Control rejection of violence and resumption of dialogue.
A military solution to the conflict was out of the question, Inderfurth said, referring to the four principles, which have become known as ''the four Rs.''
It was ''absolutely essential'' for India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue and work out ''the continuing differences there -- very dangerous differences, by the way.''
''They can never resolve this difference unless they do talk. In that sense, we are trying to get the same message across to both, and we'll continue pursuing that,'' he said.
