The United States dismissed as speculation reports that its Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill decided to quit his post as he was 'unhappy" over America's lack of firmness in dealing with the terrorism issue between India and Pakistan.

Any speculation of the type is "totally misplaced. No, it is not true," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said
at a briefing on Monday when a correspondent referred to speculation that the ambassador's desire to return is linked
to his unhappiness with the lack of firmness in the US resolve on the terrorism issue between India and Pakistan.
   

Blackwill will be in India for some months more. "I know there is still a lot of work to do that he will help us do," Boucher said.
    

He said Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke to Blackwill on Sunday and appreciated his service as ambassador to India, and praised the work that he had done. "They talked, as always, about the work on the current agenda between the United States and India," Boucher said, adding that both President Bush and Powell had known that Blackwill wanted to return to teaching at Harvard and spend more time with his family. 
    

Blackwill announced in New Delhi on Monday that he would return to Harvard at the end of summer.