The Hindu : 'India must resume talks with Pak.'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 06, 2002

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'India must resume talks with Pak.'

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI Dec. 5. The United States Deputy National Security Adviser, Stephen Hadley, today reiterated the American position that India should resume its snapped dialogue with Pakistan.

Mr. Hadley, who arrived here from Islamabad, met today the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, the Foreign Secretary, Kanwal Sibal, and the Deputy to the National Security Adviser, Satish Chandra.

Officials said that just as the Americans stated their position on a dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, the Indian side did the same. (The Indian position is that talks with Pakistan can only resume after Islamabad ends cross-border terrorism.)

The Iraq issue and Afghanistan also figured in Mr. Hadley's talks with his Indian interlocutors. The American official pointed to the crucial declaration Iraq was to make on December 8. India, for its part, stressed the importance of the U.N. track on dealing with the Iraq situation. The purpose of Mr. Hadley's visit is to extend areas of cooperation between India and the U.S. and further build on the long-term strategic cooperation agreed upon by the American President, George W.Bush, and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee. His visit was said to be part and parcel of the continuing high-level dialogue between India and the U.S. on a host of issues.

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