US pressing Pak to end terrorism, says Bush pointman

Admitting that infiltration was continuing across the LoC, Richard Haass, director of Policy Planning Staff in the Bush administration promi...

Admitting that infiltration was continuing across the LoC, Richard Haass, director of Policy Planning Staff in the Bush administration promised that the US would press Pakistan for an end to cross-border terrorism.

Haass works directly under US Secretary of State Colin Powell and is seen as President George Bush’s point man on key issues. Speaking on American Foreign policy challenges, Haass said: ‘‘We continue to tell Pakistan that the LoC must be respected and there should not be any infiltration.’’

Commenting on India’s concerns, Haass hoped that ‘‘the Pakistani government will do everything in its power to end terrorism’’. The recent Pak polls may ‘‘not be textbook perfect, but the reliance on the democratic idea and ideal had taken root.’’ This, said Haass, mattered to all those who cared about Pakistan be it ‘‘the US or even India.’’

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Reiterating the American commitment to help democracy take root in Pakistan, Haass pointed to the recent Presidential promise that the US would extend $5 billion of aid every year to countries to help the democratic process. ‘‘We will not give to governments blindly. It will be based on their performance and good governance.’’

Haass, who flies to Hyderabad to speak on the Indo-US relationship tomorrow, also met External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha as well as Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal. Iraq figured prominently in the talks with the US promising to ‘‘consult India’’ along with the international community.

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