Washington - The new South Asia strategy of the Trump administration focuses on reducing tension between India and Pakistan, a top American diplomat said Wednesday but ruled out any mediator role for the US between the two South Asian neighbours.
“The South Asia strategy also focuses on reducing tensions between Pakistan and India,” Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing on Afghanistan and Pakistan held jointly by House Foreign Affairs Subcommittees for Middle East and North Africa, and Asia and Pacific.
“The United States does not seek a role as a mediator between India and Pakistan, but encourages both countries to restart dialogue at the earliest opportunity. An improved relationship between these two countries is critical to regional security and stability,” Wells told the lawmakers. The Trump administration, she said, is increasingly concerned about the threat to strategic stability in South Asia associated with the introduction of new nuclear capable ballistic or cruise missile systems in the region.
“In particular, the region and the world look to both Pakistan and India to safeguard against a nuclear conflict in South Asia,” she said. “In this context, the United States remains concerned about Pakistan’s growing fissile material stockpiles and its expanding and diversifying military nuclear and missile programmes,” Wells said. With India, she told lawmakers that the Trump administration values the role New Delhi can play in global security and stability as part of its shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
“We also want to work with India to counter terrorist threats. And we see significant economic and business opportunities in both countries that we intend to explore for the benefit of all of our citizens,” she said. The US welcomes the central role of India in the Indo-Pacific region and throughout the world, she said. “Our two democracies have a shared commitment to uphold the rule of law, freedom of navigation, universal values, and free trade,” she said. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also noted that the US views India as a partner for peace in Afghanistan and welcomes India’s economic and development assistance efforts.
US CONGRESSMEN FOR CLOSE ENGAGEMENT WITH PAKISTAN
Continuing his outreach to key members of Congress, Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaudhry had meetings with Senator Joni Ernst (Republican) Congresswoman Karen Bass (Democrat) and Congressman Chris Stewart (Republican).
Senator Ernst is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, while Congresswoman Bass and Congressman Stewart sit on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Appropriations Committee respectively.
In his back-to-back meetings, Ambassador Chaudhry updated the members of Congress on recent developments in the context of Pakistan-US relations. He briefed them on Pakistan's perspective on the region, including the situation in Afghanistan.
Noting that the two countries common aspiration for peace and stability in South Asia, Ambassador Chaudhry said that it was important for Pakistan and the United States to work together for a political settlement in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Chaudhry informed the US legislators that Pakistan had successfully turned the corner in its fight against terrorism. Pakistan's improved security environment was paying economic dividends, as evidenced by the country's status as an emerging market.
The Ambassador said that greater economic cooperation between the US and Pakistani corporate sectors would generate jobs and prosperity for both the countries. The members of Congress appreciated Ambassador Chaudhry’s briefing.
They concurred with the Ambassador's assessment of the need for close engagement between the United States and Pakistan in the pursuit of their common goals in the region.
Agencies/Monitoring Desk
