“The US is not negotiating relations between India and Pakistan.” This is the message US special envoy for Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak) Richard Holbrooke drove home repeatedly in the capital on Wednesday. His statement was in response to reports that the US was pushing for the resumption of the stalled composite dialogue between India and Pakistan.
Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and Holbrooke rounded off a five-day tour to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India by meeting Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Wednesday.
Holbrooke said the purpose of their visit was to “inform and consult” India about the implementation of the new Af-Pak policy, which entails more US troop in Afghanistan and a massive military and non-military aid to Pakistan.
“We did not come here to ask the Indians to do anything. We came here to inform about our trips (to Afghanistan and Pakistan) as we always do and to get their views. We did not come here with any requests,” said Holbrooke.
Detailing the evolution of Indo-US ties, he said it needed to graduate from increased bilateral cooperation and to develop a “regional and strategic” focus. The US would bank on making common cause with India regarding “regional and strategic” issues such as Afghanistan and the implementation of its Af-Pak policy.
“For the first time since Partition, India, Pakistan, and the US, face a common threat and challenge,” he said. There can be no settlement to Afghanistan’s problems without India’s involvement, he highlighted.
Speaking earlier, Admiral Mullen said there isn’t a purely “military solution” to address Afghanistan’s problems and a strong civilian component such as aid programmes are equally important. Both Admiral Mullen and Holbrooke said India’s role in Afghanistan was “positive” and took note of its reconstruction and agricultural programmes.