US wants better Pakistan-India relations

A US State Department official on Saturday said that the US always encouraged improvement of relations between Pakistan and India and talks between both sides towards that end.

“We always encourage a better relationship between the two countries and so that’s something that we do talk to both sides about,” Press Office Director Patrick Ventrell said.

He was asked at the daily briefing to elaborate on discussions Secretary of State John Kerry will likely have with Indian leaders on Pakistan-India relations.

However, Ventrell noted that Secretary Kerry’s was primarily concerned about the US strategic dialogue with India and would address cooperation over a wide range of issues from economic to education.

Replying to a question about US assistance for welfare of Afghan refugees who have been living Pakistan, the spokesperson emphasised that Washington was the leading international donor for humanitarian assistance to victims of the Afghan conflict, including those who had gone over into Pakistan.

He explained that such assistance was provided by the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.

“We provide that to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the ICRC and other NGOs to support victims throughout the region.  Also, the US Agency for International Development provides food assistance to the World Food Program operations in Afghanistan which meet the emergency food needs, he said.

In answer to a question in the context of Pakistani and Afghan officials trading allegations of cross-border militancy, the spokesperson agreed it was important that the two neighbours worked out the issues cooperatively.