US Secretary of State John Kerry has pledged Washington's full support for improvement in Pakistan-India relations in the interest of two South Asian neighbours as well as regional stability and prosperity. Speaking on the eve of US-India Strategic Dialogue, to be held in New Delhi this week, Kerry noted that both prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi - who met in the Indian capital in late May at the inaugural ceremony of the new Indian leader - want to create an opportunity for their people.
He said by inviting South Asian leaders to his swearing-in ceremony and by discussing connecting regional economies, Modi has shown that he is eager for India to play a leading role in regional connectivity. "Nowhere is that leadership more critical than in improving cross-border trade and relations between India and Pakistan," the top American diplomat said. Kerry was articulating American policy on advancing relations with India in a speech at think tank Center for American Progress.
He noted that Prime Minister Sharif was encouraged after his visit to New Delhi and thought it was positive. "So improved trade is a win-win for both countries and both peoples. And I know that there are plans for the commerce secretaries and foreign secretaries to meet in the coming weeks in order to build on that.
"I commit to you that the United States will do everything we can to encourage India and Pakistan to work together and improve the prospects for both prosperity and stability in the region," he added. The US Secretary of State said," India has already shown a deep commitment to regional stability with the generous investments in Afghanistan," and that Washington looked forward to New Delhi working with its neighbours to help realise Afghanistan's connections in the region. "At this critical moment of transition and in the coming months, support from all across the international community will be vitally important. In the coming days, I will continue to work closely with President Karzai, with the candidates, with the United Nations in order to provide Afghanistan with support during the transition.
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