Indo-Pak dialogue: Washington uses Delhi's language

The US has weighed in on the prospects of Indo Pakistan dialogue but has raised Indian concerns on cross-border terror for talks to happen.

Responding to a question by WION on the US take on Indo Pakistan talks, Ambassador Alice Wells Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia said, "in general, US supports India Pakistan dialogue" but raised Indian concerns of cross-border terror. 

Wells talked about the conversations American have been having with "Indian partners" in which they have been asking for "a demonstrable reduction in cross-border terror that will help create confidence for dialogue to take place. "India has been saying talk and terror can't go together when it comes to Pakistan but talks on terror can happen".

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Alice Wells welcomed the "positive messages exchanged between PM Khan and PM Modi" and said, "conditions can be created for productive bilateral conversations" for which Washington will be supportive.

Ever since taking charge as the Prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan has been talking about dialogue with India. In a recent tweet, Khan said, "To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts including Kashmir".

In his victory speech after winning elections, Khan had said, "If they (India) take one step towards us, we will take two, but at least (we) need a start". But he has been raking Kashmir along with dialogue calling it "the biggest problem".

Delhi is treading cautiously given the fact it has burnt its fingers many times. PM Narendra Modi had tried to make a new start by a stopover in Lahore but terror attacks, such as the one in Pathankot and Uri, had derailed the peace initiative by New Delhi.

Meanwhile, US has also been raising the issue of terror proxies being supported by Pakistan.

US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo during his a visit to Pakistan last week conveyed "the need for Pakistan to take sustained and decisive measures against terrorists and militants threatening regional peace and stability", according to the US State Department.

A senior state department official in a briefing ahead of the 2+2 dialogue in Delhi said, "we share India’s concern that Pakistan continues to allow Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai bombing, free, at-large, despite the reward that’s on his head and despite his very known role in helping to facilitate that attack."

There hasn't been any meeting between the Indian leadership with new Pakistani ministers. The focus is now at UNGA meeting in New York were India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi will be present and will also take part in SAARC foreign ministers' meet.