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US Seeks to Ease India Concerns About Pakistan

   VOA News 22 July 2010

   The  U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan has sought to ease
   India's  concerns about the growing U.S. partnership with Pakistan and
   Islamabad's increasing role in Afghanistan.
   In  New Delhi Thursday, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke said India's role
   in  regional  security  is  not  being  diminished  by  improved  U.S.
   relations   with   Pakistan.  Holbrooke  said  Afghanistan  cannot  be
   stabilized  without  Pakistan's participation, but that India also has
   an important role to play.
   India  has  concerns  that  an  Afghan reconciliation plan for Taliban
   fighters gives Pakistan a more prominent role.

   Tensions  run  deep between India and Pakistan, whose dispute over the
   Kashmir  region  has  led to decades of hostility and triggered two of
   the  countries' three wars.  Peace talks between the two nations were
   suspended  after  the  2008  Mumbai  attacks,  which  India  blamed on
   Pakistan-based militants.
   The  Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers met earlier this month for
   the  first  time  since the Mumbai attacks in an effort to restart the
   peace  process. Their talks were aimed at rebuilding trust between the
   two  countries  but  ended in a tense press conference and no tangible
   progress.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

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