President Barack Obama today favoured using “constructive diplomacy” with India and Pakistan to ease “tensions” between the nuclear-armed neighbours, which he felt was vital to win the ‘war against terror’ in the region.
Unveiling his new Afghan-Pak strategy, Obama said the terrorists operating from ‘safe havens’ in Afghanistan and Pakistan were a threat to the US, India and other parts of the world.
“To lessen tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations that too often teeter on the edge of escalation and confrontation, we must pursue constructive diplomacy with both India and Pakistan,” Obama said. “To avoid the mistakes of the past, we must make clear that our relationship with Pakistan is grounded in support for its democratic institutions and people. To demonstrate through deeds as well as words a commitment that is enduring, we must stand for lasting opportunity,” he said.
The President argued that the use of constructive diplomacy with India and Pakistan was important to win the ‘war against terror’ in the region.
Recognising India as a major security ‘stakeholder’ in fighting insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Obama included New Delhi in its proposed Contact Group for the region.
“Together with the UN, we will forge a new Contact Group for Afghanistan and Pakistan that brings together all who should have a stake in the security of the region — our NATO allies and other partners, but also the Central Asian states, the Gulf nations and Iran; Russia, India and China.”
The Obama administration feels India can play a major role in bringing stability to war-torn Afghanistan as New Delhi is already involved in helping the local government in re-building the nation post-Taliban.