Posted on 04/29/2003 12:20:52 PM PDT by knighthawk
The United States views Monday night's telephonic talk between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan as a "positive development" and one that could pave the way for greater engagement between the two countries.
"We welcome the news. We hope this will lead to lessening of tensions and further discussions between the two countries," a State Department official said in a brief response to Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali's conversation with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Though the official declined to elaborate, the feeling in Washington is that Vajpayee's recent offer of friendship and Jamali's response now signify a good augury for the upcoming visit of Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to the two countries.
The Armitage visit was originally conceived as a fire-fighting mission in the wake of the massacre of 24 Hindus in Nadimarg last month. Fearing that one or two incidents of the type would ratchet up tensions all over again, Washington decided it was time for a fresh diplomatic thrust.
Analysts here attribute the current signs of a tentative thaw to the subtle US pressure on both countries, notably Pakistan, in recent weeks. Secretary of State Colin Powell had called up President Pervez Musharraf last Friday to voice his concern at the upsurge in terrorist violence.
Pakistan, as one South Asia watcher put it, has also been under compulsion to be seen as responsive and accommodating after Vajpayee took the lead with his "hand of friendship" offer. Although Vajpayee subsequently clarified that Islamabad should end cross-border terrorism to clear the decks, he was thought to have silenced critics of the "Indian intransigence" on the question of dialogue.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.