Washington: The United States (US) has expressed hope that the New Year will usher
in resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan on all contentious issues,
including Kashmir.
"I hope that in this New Year we'll find a way for the two sides to begin a dialogue
on all of the issues that are outstanding between India and Pakistan, to include
Kashmir," US Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
Making a brief reference to Indo-Pak tension during an interview to the Cable News
Network (CNN), Powell claimed it was the timely intervention by the international
community that averted a nuclear confrontation between the Asian neighbours last
year.
"It is interesting to remember last year's crisis between India and Pakistan.
Everybody was afraid that a nuclear war was about to break out there. Then the
international community came together, worked with the two parties."
Describing the situation in Kashmir as 'difficult', Powell, however, expressed
relief that with both sides de-escalating, the threat of war has receded
considerably.
PTI
