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Room for additional work by Pak.: Powell
By Sridhar Krishnaswami
WASHINGTON, JAN. 10. The United States has urged India to find a diplomatic way out of the current tension in the subcontinent, even as it said the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has taken a number of steps towards de-escalation but there was ``room for additional work'' on his part.
``I indicated to the Home Minister that the United States was very hopeful that this situation could be dealt with through political and diplomatic means and we were lending all of our efforts to that end'', the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said after a meeting with the Home Minister, L.K. Advani.
``But it has to include a condemnation of terrorism of any kind, because it is no longer acceptable in the 21st century for nations to live under this kind of threat,'' he said.
Gen. Powell, who is travelling to India and Pakistan early next week, said the purpose was to see ``if I can make further contribution by my presence toward resolving the situation that currently exists, the crisis that currently exists, in a peaceful manner.''
Asked if Washington would lean on Islamabad over the 20 terrorists that India is demanding to be turned over, he said: ``I have seen that list and I know President Musharraf has the list. We have discussed about it with him. I know he is examining it and I hope he will take appropriate action. But it is in his hands.''
When it was pointed out that despite Washington's assertion that Gen. Musharraf was taking credible steps against terrorism, New Delhi did not see it that way, Gen. Powell said Gen. Musharraf had indeed taken some steps. ``But I think there is room for additional work on his part. We are looking forward to the speech he will be giving later this week which I think will be a powerful signal to his nation and to India and the rest of the world. But it's not just the speech. We will be looking to see what additional action he has taken.''
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