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US urges India, Pakistan to talk

The United States called on Saturday for the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan on receiving assurances from the Pakistani leadership that it was not sponsoring infiltration across the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir.

"There is some obvious infiltration across the Line of Control, but our friends here assure me that this is not being sponsored by the Government of Pakistan," US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said after an hour-long meeting with President Pervez Musharraf and other leaders.

Armitage, who arrived in Pakistan after holding talks with Indian leaders in New Delhi on Friday, discussed the situation in the region with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Inamul Haq and Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider.

Addressing a joint press conference with Haq, Armitage said it was desirable for both Pakistan and India to engage in dialogue. "We can offer assistance," he said, "[but] we cannot impose a solution [to the problem]."

Armitage said tension between Pakistan and India had gone down to an extent compared to his previous visit two months ago, and this had enabled him to discuss a whole range of Pak-US relations and the Indo-Pakistan situation.

He said Washington wants the best possible future for its friends in Pakistan and India.

PTI

The Indo-Pak Standoff: Complete Coverage

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