Stable Indo-Pak relationship on their own terms at appropriate time: US

Washington, Feb.21 (ANI): As the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan are set to resume after a gap of over 14 months, the United States, which is looking forward to a stable relationship between the two neighbouring nations, says that improved relations between the two countries will be on their own terms at the appropriate time.

Addressing the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robert Blake said India, Pakistan and the US are facing a common threat of terrorism, and expressed the hope that both New Delhi and Islamabad would sort out lingering issues between them.

"While we would like to see India and Pakistan reach a stable relationship, they will do so on their own terms at the appropriate time," The Daily Times quoted Blake, as saying.

The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet on February 25 in New Delhi, after bilateral talks between two countries were discontinued in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.

Earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Philip Crowley had lauded both India and Pakistan for moving ahead with the talks despite last week's Pune bomb blast, in which 12 persons, including some foreign nationals, were killed .

"We are most pleased with the political courage shown by leaders on both sides that notwithstanding the attack which was directly aimed at derailing this dialogue, there is this political commitment to move forward with talks," Crowley had said.

It may be noted that External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had clarified that next week's talks should not be seen as a resumption of the composite dialogue.

Diplomatic sources said that Pakistan is viewing the resumption of talks as the first step to resumption of composite dialogue. (ANI)