Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: www.expressindia.com
Date: December 8, 2001
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=5295
Islamabad, December 7: The US no
longer believes in playing a zero sum game in choosing between India and
Pakistan and wants the two countries to bring down the tensions and begin
a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue, US Ambassador to Islamabad Wendy
Chamberlen says.
US is not going to choose between
India and Pakistan and does not want to play the zero sum game in aligning
with either New Delhi or Islamabad, she said in an interview to Pakistan
state television.
"We are not going to choose between
the two (countries). We value our relations with both India and Pakistan
very much. Our relationship with Pakistan is about Pakistan. We look forward
to develop and deepen our ties. It is not a zero sum game," she said when
asked about who the US perceived to be an ally in between the two South
Asian neighbouring nuclear powers.
Asked why the Unites States does
not adopt a more 'pro-active' role in resolving the Kashmir issue, she
said Washington believed that the dialogue was the first step to be taken
between both the countries to resolve the differences.
"Dialogue is first step. It is not
for US to determine what framework to be adopted by India, Pakistan and
people of Kashmir to begin a dialogue," Chamberlin said.
"It is the absence of the fighting
we are talking about. We believe in addressing the situation. That (violence)
needs to be diminished. Tension in the area need to be kept down for dialogue
and for negotiations. That is what we are urging," she said.
