India and Pakistan are "quietly" making remarkable progress in improving ties and this pace should be kept on, former US ambassador to India Timothy Roemer has said.
"I believe one of the best stories of the world today, one of the quietest stories of the world today and may be it should be kept so is this historic progress in these negotiations and talks between India and Pakistan," Roemer said in response to a question in a round table with Indian media ahead of the next week's India-US Strategic dialogue.
"United States recognizes that the relationship between India and Pakistan are bilateral and they would proceed at a pace that India and Pakistan would want them to go. Knowing that the United States quietly and diplomatically supports these talks," Roemer said.
The former US ambassador said that it all started with talks on terrorism issues then there was some confidence building measures and they proceeded on some commerce issues and trade issue, infrastructure, border issues and pipeline issue.
"This (improvement) is really good for the people of India who benefit the most from progress in India-Pak talks," he said.
Stability, economic co-operation, progress, really benefit both countries, he said adding that with 6 or 7% growth rate India really benefits with improvement in relationship with Pakistan.
With the improvement in India-Pak relationship the trade between the two countries could increase to $10-15 billion in the next couple of years from the existing $2-3 billion.
Referring to the recent tough decisions taken by the US against Pakistan, Roemer said that the US "would not tolerate" any attack coming from Pakistan.
"Game changes and all bets are off if something happens at Times Square or someplace else in our country," he said adding that the US is now having "historic" co-operation with India to prevent another Mumbai attack.
"This is something I worked on day and night in India," he said.
