(Web Desk Monitoring) — The State Department reaffirmed its support for direct talks between Pakistan and India, emphasizing that the terms of such negotiations should be decided by the two neighboring countries, not the United States.
This statement was made by State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in response to a query about the recent exchanges between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, following Modi’s securing of a third term as premier.
“We value our important relationships with both India and Pakistan. As we have said, we support direct discussions between India and Pakistan, but the pace, scope, and character should be determined by those two countries, not by us,” said Miller.
On June 10, PM Shehbaz congratulated Modi on taking the oath as the Indian PM, and Modi, in response, thanked Shehbaz. Additionally, Shehbaz’s elder brother and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, also extended his congratulations to Modi, advising, “Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia.” Modi responded, “The people of India have always stood for peace, security, and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority.”
Addressing the department’s press briefing, Miller also highlighted the US and Pakistan’s shared interest in combating regional security threats. “We partner with Pakistan on security through our high-level counterterrorism dialogue, including several counterterrorism capacity-building programs, and we support a series of US-Pakistan military-to-military engagements,” he said.
In response to a statement by Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, regarding Pakistan’s need for modern American weapons to fight the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Miller stated, “We are in regular communication with Pakistani leaders as part of our partnership on counterterrorism issues, and we will continue to discuss regional security in detail, including through our annual counterterrorism dialogue and other bilateral consultations.” Khan had noted that the TTP is using American weapons left by US forces in Afghanistan against Pakistani military forces.
