Washington: It is in the best interest of
both India and the US to engage Pakistan though both nations
have some concerns with regard to that country, Obama
Administration`s point man for the region has said.
"I think the Secretary (of State) and many, many
others have repeatedly reaffirmed that it`s very much in our
interest to engage Pakistan, to help it with many of these
challenges (Pak is facing)," Assistant Secretary of State
for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said.
Blake, who accompanied the Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton on a visit to India this week, said that both
India and the United States have their own concerns with
regard to Pakistan.
"Both of us obviously have concerns. You know very
well what India`s concerns are. India wants to be sure that
there is progress in the trials of the Mumbai suspects," he
said.
"They want to be sure that the camps on the
Pakistani side of the border are dismantled; and more broadly,
that Pakistan does not allow the various terrorist groups that
are operating inside Pakistan to use Pakistani territory as a
platform from which to attack India, or other countries, like
the United States. We have very similar interests," Blake
said.
"In terms of our own dialogue, we`ve had some
progress since Abottabad raid. We`ve made a lot of other
suggestions about progress where we think -- areas where we
think more progress is needed," Blake said.
Refraining to respond to questions about arrest of
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, who is accused of working for the ISI,
Blake said the matter is sub judice.
"You`re going to have to address all those questions
to the Department of Justice, because they`re the ones that
have the lead on this," he said responding to questions on
this issue.
"I can`t speak for Dr Fai. I can only speak to the
facts of the case. And the facts of the case are that the
Department of Justice has announced charges against two
individuals, one of whom is Dr Fai, for their participation in
a long-term conspiracy to hide the fact that they were working
for the government of Pakistan," he said.
"Under American law it is illegal for foreign
individuals to make campaign contributions to people in
federal office. The people that are working on behalf of
foreign governments are also under obligation to register
under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Dr Fai didn`t do
that either, so that`s why he`s been arrested," Blake said.
PTI
