US welcomes India-Pak decision to discuss 'key issues'

However, it downplayed India's and Pakistan's decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

The United States has reportedly welcomed India's and Pakistan's decision to hold bilateral talks on three key issues

In its second statement on a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, Russia on Friday, the U.S. State Department reiterated its support for all measures that could improve ties between the two nuclear states, reported the Dawn.

Mark Toner, a department spokesman, said at a news briefing in Washington that the U.S. supported all steps between the governments of India and Pakistan that will strengthen their dialogue and cooperation.

Toner also downplayed India's and Pakistan's decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and refuted the suggestion that Russia and China posed 'existential threat' to the U.S.