News4u-News Desk-The Obama Administration encourages India and Pakistan to get back into dialogue process which was halted by the Mumbai terrorist attack, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said.

“We are encouraging them (India and Pakistan) to get back into dialogue. We think that (dialogue) is important. But with respect to any resolution, that’s up to them,” Clinton told the BBC in an interview, the transcripts of which was released by the State Department in Washington.

Clinton was responding to a question if the Administration is looking at tackling the issue of Kashmir between the two countries.

“Well, we have encouraged both countries to resume a dialogue that they were engaged in which came to a halt and yet holds a lot of promise. They had made progress, I am told, in sorting through some of the longstanding difficulties they face, and most particularly the status of Kashmir,” she said.

“But it is clear that any solution has to come from the two countries themselves,” Clinton said.

Clinton, Manmohan to discuss strategic dialogue, SAsia

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will discuss diplomatic issues, including the strategic dialogue process with India and developments in South Asia with PM Manmohan Singh over a lunch meet on Tuesday, a top official said.

The State Department spokesman, Ian Kelly said the Secretary of State would discuss a range of bilateral, regional and global issue in a bi-lateral meet with the Prime Minister.

“I think that regional issues will be very important, particularly since the Secretary has just come back from Afghanistan, so they want to talk about issues related to South Asia,” Kelly said.

“She will want to talk about the State Department’s role in Strategic Dialogue with India, so we will want to get into more detail on how we carry through with that. And a whole range of diplomatic issues,” he said in response to a question.

The Prime Minister arrives in Washington on Sunday on a five-day visit as the First State Guest of the US President, Barack Obama.

The State Dinner is scheduled for Tuesday evening; soon after his ceremonial welcome at the White House and the first meeting between the two leaders; followed by a press conference.

US House resolution welcomes Singh’s upcoming US visit

News4u-News Desk-In a rare gesture, the House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s state visit in Washington next week and said the Indo-US ties had great potential to promote peace, stability and democracy throughout the world.

The resolution, sponsored by Co-chairs of Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans Representatives Jim McDermott and Ed Royce, commended the maturating of the relationship between the two countries, exemplified by Singh’s 4-day official visit beginning on 22nd November.

It said the relationship between the US and India had great potential to promote stability, democracy, prosperity, and peace throughout the world and enhance the ability of both countries to work together to provide global leadership in areas of mutual concern and interest.

“Our partnership with India is built on this foundation: that India’s rise as a great power in Asia and as a global player advances critical American interests ranging from the promotion of democracy and democratic values, to improving stability and security throughout all parts of Asia,” Congressman Gary Ackerman said on the floor of the House.

Welcoming Singh’s visit, Ackerman, the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia who co-sponsored the resolution with Ranking Member on the committee Dan Burton, said the Prime Minister has “worked hard to improve our already strong ties, and has courageously taken political risks for our bilateral relationship that few would venture.”

Ackerman said Singh put his government and his career on line on the issue of the nuclear deal with the US over which he faced political opposition in India.

“It wasn’t for us, though his victory has certainly proved to be to our advantage. No, Prime Minister Singh took his chances for India, for its future and for the fulfilment of that country’s enormous potential.”

Singh is set to meet President Barack Obama on 24th November during the first State Dinner of the new US Administration at the White House.

Ackerman, who twice Co-Chaired the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, said the United States does not fear a growing India for one simple reason that “India’s values are our values.”

“India is a real democracy, with real institutions that are subordinate to the rule of law; India, though ready to defend itself, doesn’t start wars or harbour terrorists; India, though as fastidious as any state about protecting its sovereignty, can be relied upon to keep its word once committed to a treaty or an international agreement,” he said.

Ackerman said India struggles to preserve its tradition of religious, cultural and ethnic pluralism and safeguards sensitive technologies and fights terrorism.

“We don’t see ourselves when we look at India, though this nation has benefitted immensely from Indians who have become Americans. India is vastly larger in population, vastly older in history, and vastly more complex culturally, with some 2,000 ethnicities, and 29 major languages,” he said.

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