US happy that Pune blast has not derailed India-Pakistan talks

US Assistant Secretary P J Crawley at the State Department daily briefing in Washington on February 18, 2010.

The United States has said it is encouraged that the tragic bomb blast at a popular eatery in Pune last Saturday, which killed 11 people and left 55 others injured, had not derailed the Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan slated to be held in New Delhi on February 25.

"...we’re most pleased with the political courage showed by leaders on both sides that notwithstanding the attack which was directly aimed at derailing this dialogue, that there is this political commitment to move forward with talks," US Assistant Secretary Philip J Crowley said at the Department of State daily press briefing on Thursday.

"And we think that’s going to be extremely important," he said.

"There have been times in the past where India and Pakistan have had formal and informal dialogue. We think that this is a vitally important relationship to stability in the region," he said.

Asked what the US expectations were from the meeting, Mr Crowley said the real key was what the expectations were on both sides - India and Pakistan.

"But we think that there are significant issues. There are tensions, obviously, in the relationship, but they can be best resolved through dialogue. And India and Pakistan share a threat of extremism and we think that – we are totally supportive of these meetings and look forward to seeing the results," he added.

NNN