Islamabad:
The US has no plans to mediate between India and Pakistan, the American Special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan said on Tuesday, as he stressed on the need for the two neighbours to normalise relations.
",We cannot negotiate between the two countries,", said Richard Holbrooke, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He underlined the need for the India and Pakistan to normalise relations that was strained after the terrorists attacks in Mumbai last year.
Holbrooke refused to say anything in response to a question on the US playing a role in resolving the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.
The US Special Representative said the terrorists attacks in Mumbai were an act of ",strategic terrorism", aimed at starting a war between Pakistan and India but the perpetrators failed to achieve their objective.
",The terrorists' goal was to start a war but they failed,", Holbrooke said during an interaction with a group of journalists here after his meetings with top Pakistani leaders. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also present.
Referring to the regional situation, Holbrooke said the top Taliban leadership is hiding in Pakistan and controlling the militants fighting the US-led forces in Afghanistan.
",The Taliban leadership is in Pakistan and Taliban militants are fighting in Afghanistan,", he said before leaving for India.