"We always welcome dialogue and better relations between India and Pakistan, but the pace, the scope and the character of that dialogue is obviously of the Indian and Pakistani governments to decide," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley said.
"But they do have some meetings coming up in the near future. We certainly welcome that dialogue," Crowley said, reiterating the traditional stand of the Obama Administration that rules out any third-party mediation between the two South Asian neighbours.
US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been encouraging both the countries to talk to each other and reduce the tension between them through talks. Supporting India's view point, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia said last week that terrorism poses a major obstacle to the peace talks between the two countries and asked Pakistan to take action against anti-India terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
"We have a strong relationship with India. We have a strong relationship with Pakistan. We have encouraged better relations between the two countries.
But the nature of that relationship is ultimately up to them. They are neighbours," Crowley told reporters in response to a question at his daily press briefing.
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