Nicholas Burns, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee July 25, which had convened a hearing on the crisis in Pakistan titled, 'Pakistan's Future: Building Democracy or Fueling Extremism,' said the Bush administration has been playing close attention "to the region element of stability in South Asia."
And, in this regard, he explained, "We have been very active in promoting -- mainly through private dialogue -- this nation's (Pakistan's) good beginning of better relations between India and Pakistan."
Burns said, "My two counterparts -- the foreign secretaries of both India and Pakistan -- have a composite dialogue and they meet frequently and they discuss the Kashmir issue, they discuss the Siachen Glacier issue, Sir Creek and the other disputes that have been so difficult between the two countries for so many years."
"And, we are optimistic that President Musharraf and Prime Minister Singh are dedicated to improve the relations between the two countries," he said.
Burns said, "One of the largest strategic moves that I think President Clinton made and now President Bush is making as well, is to exert a bigger relationship with India -- a strategic partnership. And, of course, we have this very close relationship with Pakistan."
"So this is an opportunity for our country to be part of the development of a more stable relationship between the two biggest powers and to see South Asia be a more peaceful region in relation to among the great powers there in the future," he said.
Burns reiterated that "we are paying attention to that and we are very much involved and Secretary (of State Condoleezza) Rice, in particular, in her discussions with the Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan has been very keen to make sure that the United States plays mainly a behind-the-scenes role, but a role that can be productive."
Burns was responding to the opening remarks by Senator John F Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat, who said it was imperative that the United States "must consider Pakistan's relationship with India, especially when it comes to Kashmir."
Kerry, who was chairing the hearing in the absence of the chairman of the Committee, Senator Joe Biden, Delaware Democrat -- who is on the presidential campaign trail and among several US Senators seeking the Democratic presidential nomination -- also told Burns that "the securing of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and the current status of our efforts to ensure that the proliferation disaster we experienced with A Q Khan that that network can never be repeated."
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