US "encouraged" by Indo-Pak talks

The United States beamed approval on India and Pakistan for getting down to the negotiating table, with the two countries’ foreign secretaries scheduled to meet March 28. This may lead to a serious high-level dialogue between the two countries in the interest of regional peace, said US Assistant Secretary of State Robin Raphel in her testimony yesterday before a congressional panel on south Asia.

''We are encouraged by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's early call for senior level talks with India and by the Indian governments' response,'' she said. She, however, said that the Kashmir issue that divides India and Pakistan is ''complex and deep-seated.'' She reiterated the US stand that the 50-year-old dispute should be resolved through negotiations between New Delhi and Islamabad, taking into account the ''interests and desire'' of the people of Kashmir.

While the recent Kashmir elections would not resolve the dispute, Raphel said they did provide an opportunity to begin a dialogue ''between the Indian government and the Kashmiri people''. ''We hope India and the Kashmiris will take full advantage of that opportunity,'' she observed. Replying to another question, she said the All-Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference did not participate in elections. ''this group needs to be engaged in the political process'', she added. She also recalled the promise India made to give more autonomy to the state.

Raphel said the United States and other well-wishers wanted India and Pakistan to take full advantage of the March 28 talks between Foreign Secretary Salman Haider and his Pakistani counterpart Shamshad Ahmed in New Delhi. Relations between the two countries had deteriorated since January 1994.

''Without regular communication, there can be no enduring trust. The agenda for potentially productive negotiations is immense,'' she said, adding that the tension held the neighbours back from achieving the ''longer-term peace, wealth and status they deserve''.

Replying to Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, who visited India recently, Raphel said the US considered Punjab an integral part of India and there had never been a great deal of broad-based support for the idea of Khalistan.

Several Congressman made out a strong case for President Bill Clinton visiting India during its 50th year of independence. Raphel said the president would love to visit south Asia, particularly India. ''It is a question of managing the visit,'' she added.

When Democratic Congressman F H Faleomavaega drew attention to the issue of disarmament, she said the US was proceeding in the direction.

Earlier, Raphel had voiced concern at nuclear weapons and missile progress of India and Pakistan. The US, she said, recognised this issue is central to both nations’ security calculations. She said the US urged both countries not to test a nuclear device, be the first to deploy ballistic missiles or take any other escalatory steps in these programmes which would raise regional tensions.