This Article is From Apr 13, 2010

US says it won't push India, Pak for talks

US says it won't push India, Pak for talks
Washington: A day after President Barack Obama met Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, the US on Monday ruled out any fresh effort to mediate or push the two countries for talks, but said it would encourage them to do so.

"I am not aware that we are going to try to bring together Pakistani and Indian officials here in Washington. But we continue to encourage both sides to find ways to improve their bilateral dialogue, and we will continue to encourage them," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said.

"We certainly have encouraged, previous meetings that have taken place between Indian officials and Pakistani officials. We think that's vitally important. But I'm not aware if any of that's going to happen here," Crowley said in response to a question if the US would like the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan to meet in Washington.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani, who here in Washington to attend the two-day Nuclear Security Summit, met Obama separately on Sunday.

Obama had on Sunday told Singh that India and Pakistan should reduce tensions. He also told Gilani to take action against 26/11 perpetrators.

Earlier, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake told reporters that the US has full confidence in the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

"The President and many other senior leaders of this administration have expressed confidence in Pakistan's management of its nuclear weapons," Blake said.

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