Defuse Indo-Pak tension, says Obama's secret directive

In December last year, United States President Barack Obama issued a secret directive to all the top officials in his administration dealing with internal security and foreign policy affairs, urging them to find out ways to increase America's involvement in alleviating the rising tension between India and Pakistan, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The directive was mentioned, says WSJ, in a memo written by National Security Adviser James Jones after the administration completed its three-month review of the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

Obama has always made it clear that a respectable end to the war in Afghanistan and phasing out American troops from the strife-torn nation was high on his agenda. His administration has grudgingly acknowledged that it needs Pakistan's active assistance in its efforts in Afghanistan.

Peace between India and Pakistan is imperative to achieve the US' long-term goals in South Asia, says the WSJ report.

However, the report adds that officials in the Obama administration were hesitant about pushing India to sort out issues with its neighbour, as New Delhi has repeatedly resisted international interference in the matter.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has sought US' assistance in dealing with the various unresolved issues with its powerful neighbour, including the water dispute and India's alleged role in fomenting the Balochistan unrest.

During the strategic dialogue held in Washington in March, the Pakistan government handed over a 56-page dossier to the American delegation, reportedly containing a series of complaints against India.

Dissipation of tension between the suspicious neighbours will also help Pakistan concentrate its forces and intelligence on its western border -- the tribal and lawless regions near Afghanistan that are a hot bed of terror activities -- rather than on its eastern border with India.

The WSJ report points out that Pakistan has also actively resisted India's involvement in developmental activities in Afghanistan. It is suspicious that New Delhi will use its growing influence in the country to eventually set up a base in Pakistan's own backyard.

The US is aware of the fact that it will not be able to defuse the volatile crisis in Afghanistan without active military and logistical help by Pakistan, says the report. According to the WSJ, the Obama administration has politely asked India to take its offer -- of training the Afghan army -- off the table.

But Washington has already clarified that it will not interfere in the water dispute between the two nations, as it was a purely bilateral matter, and is also treading softly over the contentious issue of Kashmir.

Experts point out to WSJ that India has already held foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan in February, and warn that putting further pressure on New Delhi to hold talks may have an adverse impact. During the talks on February 25, India had demanded concrete measures from Pakistan to counter terror activities on its soil, and the Manmohan Singh-led government is understandably reluctant to hold more parleys until such steps are taken by Islamabad.

The US administration is also wary about the allegations made by Pakistani authorities against India's activities in Afghanistan. Pakistani officials have often complained that India uses its embassies in the country to support its covert activities in Balochistan and is bolstering its ties with Afghanistan's intelligence agencies.