THE US has hoped the Pak-India talks would 'blossom into a full-blown discussion to resolve issues like Kashmir and offered to be a handy and helpful 'interlocutor if the two sides desired so. I think that is a legitimate concern, US National Security Adviser James Jones told Press Trust of India (PTI), when asked about Indian concerns over terrorism. I would even actually go beyond that I think, whether it is Pakistan or any other country in the 21st century, if a country wants to have a serious progressive position in the world where their economy develops, where their society develops and the instruments of governance are strong, you have to reject all forms of terrorism, he said. Encouraged by the decision of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani to resume their peace talks, Jones said the US is offering assistance in this regard based on what both the countries would like. We take the direction from India and Pakistan to try to be interlocutor that is handy and helpful. But basically, this has to be done by the Indian and Pakistani authorities. In whatever way we can be helpful, we are happy to help, he said. We know that there are certain things that must be done, in order to bring about any kind of a long-term resolution and thats why bilaterally with Pakistan, we are focusing on problems of terrorism, Jones asserted. When referred to Pakistans wish list to the US on resolving the Kashmir issue, as was widely reported in the mainstream US media early this year, Jones said: It would be wrong to think that the United States is going to be able to come up with a formula for it that somehow can be dropped down on the two countries. Getting the two countries to talk is the first step and any long-term resolution has to come from the two South Asian neighbours, he said. So our hope is that these initial talks (between India and Pakistan) would blossom into a full-blown discussion and that the more sensitive topics can eventually be addressed, Jones said. There are problems between India and Pakistan that need to be addressed and tensions and suspicions that existed for long time between the two countries need to be removed, he said. It is easy to say, it is not easy to do, but at some point, you have to get to the starting point and we are hopeful that these discussions are there, Jones said. Jones visited Pakistan last month along with CIA Director Leon Panetta following investigations which revealed that Pakistani Taliban were behind the failed Times Square bombing. Jones said he carried a message to Islamabad on behalf of President Barack Obama that we are pleased with their actions (against Taliban and Al-Qaeda) today, but there has to be more. I am not asking them to do everything all at once, but for a clear commitment that all aspects of terrorism whether they are directed towards India or the US or Afghanistan or any other country in the world that have an existence within their borders have to be eliminated for their own good, for their own future, for their own relationships and I am optimistic that they will be moving in the right direction, Jones said. Asked if he sees Pakistan sensitive to Indias concerns in this regard and if stronger actions against terror groups are forthcoming in the weeks and months ahead, Jones said: Well, I cant predict what is going to happen in the short time frame, but I think, the logic of the message speaks for itself, I am very happy to see that there is some dialogue between Pakistan and India.