The Hindu : Sort out issues, U.S. tells India, Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2002

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Sort out issues, U.S. tells India, Pak.
By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 18. Ruling out mediation between India and Pakistan, the United States today suggested that both countries sort out their problems between themselves.

``As you know we don't have a large military presence in the rest of the region. As far as India and Pakistan issues are concerned, we believe they will be worked out by India and Pakistan,'' said Gen. Richard Myers, senior-most American military officer, when asked whether American military presence in the region would curb belligerence between India and Pakistan.

The principal military adviser to the U.S. President, here on a maiden two-day visit, felt American military presence in Afghanistan had a ``fairly big impact'' on the Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban. He indicated continuing U.S. military presence in the region by observing that terrorism had not been completely eradicated. ``There is still a threat in Afghanistan. It is just the beginning as we know that the Al-Qaeda operates in 60 different countries. Afghanistan was one of them. We think we have made a major dent in their worldwide operations to some extent,'' he told reporters after meeting ``key players'' in the Indian security establishment. Gen. Myers drew attention to the fact that the success against terrorism was not due to military action alone. The other major components were cooperation in intelligence gathering, law enforcement and diplomacy.

Describing his visit as aimed at enhancing bilateral military cooperation, Gen. Myers indicated the American desire to involve India in the global surveillance grid against terrorism. ``Military to military ties had started to blossom and grow in the last year or so. We are talking about a lot to do in that (military to military) relationship in the fight against terrorism.''

Gen. Myers called on the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, the National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, the Defence Secretary, Yogendra Narain, the Chief of Army Staff, S. Padmanabhan, and the Chief of IAF, S. Krishnaswamy.

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