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T V Parasuram in Washington
The United States has asked Pakistan to follow through its commitment to stop infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir" in a concerted and pro-active manner" and said the successful completion of assembly election in the state is the first step in bringing peace to the region.
"We welcome the successful conclusion of elections in Kashmir today," Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca said on Thursday.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's "personal commitment in making them transparent and open" was a critical factor in taking the democratic process forward, Rocca said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute.
"We condemn the violence that occurred during these elections aimed at disrupting the democratic process," she said.
Making a similar statement, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington hoped the conclusion of the polls would be the first step in bringing peace to the region.
"We applaud the efforts of the Indian Election Commission and commend the courage of the candidates and the voters who participated [in the polls] despite violence and intimidation," Boucher said.
PTI
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