'US to continue to encourage Indo-Pakistan Dialogue'
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk Report

WASHINGTON (US): The White House Monday said U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had been "instrumental in helping to address the situation between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region."

Of Pakistan-India dialogue process, the White House Spokesman told Pakistan's state-run news agency's US-based Special Correspondent Khalilur Rehman Bughio, that the United States would continue "to work on those efforts," and "encourage dialogue between the parties."

"There has been some good progress made in that respect," Scott McClellan pointed out.

In response to a question at the daily Press briefing, McClellan made clear that there would be no policy change in respect of Pakistan and India.

He was asked to comment if any policy change in respect of Pakistan-India was likely, in the wake of resignation by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The Agenda

"The agenda is set by the President of the United States," Press Secretary to the U.S. President said.

"He (President Bush) is the one who sets the policy and the cabinet is there to help the President implement the agenda or policy decisions that he makes."

Of India, McClellan said "we certainly have a strong relationship with India. We will continue to build on our relationship with prime minister Singh, as we move forward."

"Secretary Powell had been instrumental in helping to address the situation between India and Pakistan, the Kashmir region." "And, we will continue to work on those efforts, and encourage dialogue between the parties. There has been some good progress made in that respect," he added.

State Department officials say Powell has told his staff he will stay on until President Bush names a successor. A shakeup of the cabinet was expected after President Bush's re-election earlier this month.

U.S. has Good Relations with Pakistan, India: Powell

Meanwhile, speaking of "solid alliances in Asia," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday said the United States has "good relations" with Pakistan and India.

"We've got good relations with China, the best, perhaps, in decades, good relations with India, with Pakistan, with the Russian Federation."

Powell said this in response to a question, at an on-the-record briefing. He said, it was all "a result of our foreign policy efforts" over the last four years "under President Bush's leadership."

More Opportunities

As Powell said, "there are still challenges out there," but, he added, "I think there are far more opportunities out there."

"We have solid alliances in Asia, with Japan, South Korea the Philippines, Thailand and Australia; make sure that we use our alliances in Asia and the partnerships we have in Asia to keep pressing to find a solution to the North Korean nuclear program."

"We have to work with our European Union friends and with the IAEA to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear program, and we have seen a little bit of progress, hopefully, over the last 24 hours."

He said President Bush also has an active agenda with respect to trade, open trade, with respect to the Millennium Challenge Account and development funding, going after HIV/AIDS, building on the partnerships and alliances that the U.S. has around the world.

Of difficulties in Europe

"We had some difficulties with some nations in Europe last week, last year over Iraq and we are getting rid of those differences and coming together again, as evidenced by the fact that NATO is now undertaking a mission in support of the Iraqi people."

War against Terror

"We have to make sure that we continue to pursue the global war against terror, we have to consolidate the very significant gains we've seen in Afghanistan, and we have to make sure we defeat this insurgency in Iraq," Secretary Powell said.

He said this in response to a question: 'What do you think are the biggest pieces of unfinished business, business that has to be addressed, maybe on an urgent basis?."

Middle East

On Middle East, he said "a new opportunity" has presented itself in the Middle East, and President Bush has spoken to this, "and hopefully over the next few weeks I'll be able to see how much potential there is in this new opportunity in the Middle East with the passing of Chairman Arafat."

"And beyond that, I think we have to just keep working on the broad agenda that we have had for the past four years, strengthening our alliances."●