US tells India to reach out, talk to Pak

Disagreeing with Indian stand that there could be no dialogue with Pakistan until cross-border terrorism was stopped, he said: ‘‘I am concerned that such a position does not provide the basis for a sound, long-term policy for India to deal with its neighbours.’’

He said the US stood shoulder-to-shoulder with India against terrorists, be they those who struck at New York and Washington or those who targeted Indian Parliament.

Participating in the plenary session on ‘‘US and India — a transformed relationship’’ — at the ongoing CII Partnership Summit 2003 here, he said India would not be able to realise its immense potential on global stage until its relationship with Pakistan was normalised.

Haass said there was an ‘‘unusual situation’’ where neither country has a high commissioner in the capital of the other. ‘‘Resuming a range of contacts with Pakistan at this time will not mean rewarding terrorism. Indians should not view efforts to improve relations with Pakistan as a favour to its neighbour. Rather, New Delhi should seek to diminish tensions with Islamabad,’’ he said.

Favouring improved trade relations between the two neighbours, he said supporting positive developments in Pakistan did not mean ‘‘condoning or overlooking’’ the many serious matters that Islamabad ‘‘still must address.’’ He said the US would continue to urge President Musharraf to do everything in his power to permanently end infiltration.

‘‘I would discourage Pakistanis to allowing their focus on resolving Kashmir dispute to block the progress on other issues that involve India and that hold the promise of an improved bilateral relationship,’’ he said.