Kerry was scheduled to meet IIT Delhi students at 9:30am in the morning but his address got delayed to 11:30am following heavy rains in the national capital.
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Asserting that India and the US are engaging on a number of levels, Kohli said Tuesday’s joint statement press conference by Kerry and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj also focussed on Pakistan’s role.
In what is seen as a clever balancing act, while pitching for strong action by Pakistan against terror outfits, Kerry said when Islamabad takes action there is usually “pretty intense pushback and blowback which makes it harder”. “I briefed Secretary Kerry about the continuing problem of cross-border terrorism that India and the larger region faces from Pakistan”, she said.
Kerry said he had spoken to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif so that Pakistan deprives any terrorist group of sanctuary. ‘We have talked about the sanctuaries in the country.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is on a three-day visit to India for the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. “And the talks can only resume if these expectations were met”, she added. “It can find roadmap for its own choices for tackling terror”, said Kerry. Washington has increasingly turned its focus to Asia as it tries to counter China’s growing clout in the South China Sea, and is eager for India to play a greater role in a network of defence alliances.
Swaraj said India remained ready to open discussions with Pakistan but that such dialogue was hard while India remains a target of Pakistan-based groups.
Kerry said these developments “couldn’t come at a more important moment”. India has blamed Pakistan-linked groups for the attacks.
India’s economy will only be able to maintain its impressive growth if its bureaucracy ceases to be “an expert in setting up roadblocks”, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday. At least 68 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in the Himalayan region, mostly by government forces firing bullets and shotguns at rock-throwing protesters since early July.
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He also said Islamabad should not feel isolated by the upcoming talks between the U.S., India and Afghanistan in NY. The two countries also agreed to work closely to strengthen intelligence sharing mechanism. We are in support of some of the reforms (in UN). And that Pakistan should feel encouraged and not isolated by this even as he underscored the need for Pakistan to join the fight against terror.
