Washington:
There is damage control in DC... just days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit.(Read: US House welcomes Manmohan Singh)
Senior American diplomats assured India that their relationship with China would not be at India's expense. (Read: Full text of US-China joint statement)
"Of course the US is interested in pursuing the best and a healthy partnership with China but that does not come at the cost of other increasingly important partnerships especially India," said wWilliam J Burns.
Given the ruffled feathers in New Delhi over a joint US-China statement endorsing China's role as a mediator for peace in South Asia, Burns said the comments had more to do with China's interest in stabilising the AfPak region. (Read: Obama, Manmohan to talk China next week)
"As with most of the other countries in the world, we welcome China's participation in helping to stabilise that very important part of the region. In terms of Indo-Pakistan relations, that's really up to India and Pakistan to decide how and when and the scope of that," said Burns.
Officials in Washington are reiterating the official stand on the Indo-Pak ties - that it is an internal matter for India and Pakistan to decide on.
Senior American diplomats assured India that their relationship with China would not be at India's expense. (Read: Full text of US-China joint statement)
"Of course the US is interested in pursuing the best and a healthy partnership with China but that does not come at the cost of other increasingly important partnerships especially India," said wWilliam J Burns.
Given the ruffled feathers in New Delhi over a joint US-China statement endorsing China's role as a mediator for peace in South Asia, Burns said the comments had more to do with China's interest in stabilising the AfPak region. (Read: Obama, Manmohan to talk China next week)
"As with most of the other countries in the world, we welcome China's participation in helping to stabilise that very important part of the region. In terms of Indo-Pakistan relations, that's really up to India and Pakistan to decide how and when and the scope of that," said Burns.
Officials in Washington are reiterating the official stand on the Indo-Pak ties - that it is an internal matter for India and Pakistan to decide on.
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