Gates rules out US mediation between India, Pak

Islamabad, Jan 22: The United States has ruled out the possibility of playing a role in facilitating the resumption of the composite dialogue between Pakistan and India.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said, "I have been involved with both these countries for a very long time...and I think one thing that has been consistent throughout the past several decades is that both Pakistan and India would prefer to deal with their bilateral problems bilaterally."

He was replying to a question during a television interview on whether the US would be willing to assist in the resumption of the composite dialogue.

He described al-Qaida and Lashker-e-Taiba, blamed for the Mumbai attacks, as dangerous groups.

"India, Pakistan and Afghanistan had a shared sense of threat and all of these countries share an enemy in common and it is terrorism," he said.

"We are in partnership with the Pakistani military and we are working to make available to them their own intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance vehicles, both aircraft and drones," he said.

"There are some tactical UAVs that we are considering," he added.

OneIndia News