India being fully informed on Afg-Pak: Holbrooke

Identifying India as a "great regional power", a top US envoy said that New Delhi is being kept fully informed on Obama Administration's move with regard to the region.     

Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday said, India is "the" interested party in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

However, he refrained from making any specific comments, arguing that his comments in India, in the middle of the general elections, could be misunderstood.      

"Since we're in the final days and hours of an election in India, where 700 million people are voting and since any comment I would make might be misunderstood in that context, I would rather just simply restrict myself to saying that my job is Afghanistan and Pakistan," the envoy said.      

Observing that India's interests are "very high", Holbrooke said, "India is the great regional power. I have great personal respect and affection for India. They have a new ambassador who just arrived. I met with her as soon as she was in Washington. We will keep India fully informed."      

Holbrooke was responding to questions from Senator Tom Casey, who wanted to know from the American diplomat as to how India can help the US in this regard. 

"Are there steps that India can take to help lower the temperature or create an environment where Pakistan can ease up a little bit as they have already, I know, they've moved some of their military forces from the border?      

But, are there efforts that India can undertake not just on its own, but by our urging, that would help here?" Casey asked.      

The top US envoy today however did not respond to this specific question citing the ongoing election in India as the reason.      

Both Pakistan and US has repeatedly said in the last few weeks that they are waiting for the Indian general elections to be over and the new government to be formed to start fresh round of talks with New Delhi.