Washington: The United States does not see its relationships with Pakistan and India as a “zero-sum” but calls for regional stability in South Asia as Washington has repeatedly termed the two countries “important partners”.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Ned Price, US Department of State Spokesperson, said that the United States wants to see “advanced” regional stability in South Asia.
He said that Washington’s partnerships with Islamabad and New Delhi “stand on their own”.
“We have long called for regional stability in South Asia, but the pace, the scope, the character of any dialogue between India and Pakistan is a matter for those two countries, India and Pakistan,” Ned Price added.
Ned’s comments came in response to a question about Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation to the Indian government to hold serious and sincere talks to resolve burning issues, including Kashmir.
In an interview with Al Arabiya news channel on January 17, PM Shehbaz said, “My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that let us sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning issues like Kashmir.”
Shehbaz Sharif had said that India and Pakistan are neighbors and have to live with each other.
“It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other, and waste time and resources,” PM Shehbaz had said.
