Sensitive Indo-Pak issues blackened in declassified US papers

"Our vision of a fully restored bilateral relationship is also premised upon Musharraf's making good on his pledge to hold free and fair elections, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. These moves on Kashmir, nonproliferation, and democracy will provide congressional and public support to further enhance our relationship with Pakistan," Colin Powell, the then Secretary of State says in a memo to US President George Bush on November 5, 2001 ahead of his meeting with the Pakistani military ruler.

The relevant portion on Kashmir are still considered sensitive enough by the US Government to be made public.

As a result, those portions have been blackened in the latest set of documents released by the National Security Archive (NSA) on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, but does indicate that the Bush Administration had asked Musharraf to take certain steps on Kashmir.

In this memo, Powell refers to Kashmir as a flash point for possible conflict between India and Pakistan. But again the relevant portion on Kashmir has been blackened in this top secret memo.

"Tensions in Kashmir threaten our efforts in Afghanistan and are a flashpoint for possible Indo-Pakistani conflict. On October 1, a terrorist attack on the state assembly in Kashmir resulted in 38 civilian deaths. India subsequently shelled positions in Pakistan. XXXXXXX," Powell says in his two-page memo to Bush.

In the same memo, Powell says, countering Indian and Pakistani nuclear and missile proliferation is a key issue.

"In Islamabad, I raised our proliferation concerns, XXXXXXX with Musharraf, underscoring that lifting the nuclear-related sanctions did not signal a lessening of our concerns or a green light to further nuclear or missile procurements," Powell wrote.

"We need to stress the importance of exercising restraint and terminating any onward proliferation. We have agreed to continue our nonproliferation dialogue," he said.

Since September 11, 2001, Powell said, Pakistan has incurred significant economic and military costs, with a particular toll on its main export, textiles.

According to Powell, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Al Larson traveled to Islamabad to discuss assistance, trade issues, and debt.

"We are working with the G-7 and the Paris Club to encourage increased support and to address Pakistan's debt burden. We are providing USD 100 million in budgetary support, with an additional USD 500 million planned, as well as a USD 73 million border security aid package," he wrote in the memo to Bush that now forms part of the documents released by the NSA.

"We have promised to assist new refugees if the border is opened to them. You have signed into law sanctions relief to allow more military assistance and training. We have supported a USD 135 million tranche of International Monetary Fund (IMF) lending and over USD 1 billion in projects financed by World Bank and Asian Development Bank," he said.

Powell said in the memo that US is working to strengthen Pakistan's export sector, including consulting with Congress to improved Pakistan's market access for textile exports.