Washington: The United States has dismissed speculation that its Ambassador to New Delhi Robert D Blackwill has decided to quit as he was "unhappy" over America's lack of firmness in dealing with the terrorism issue between India and Pakistan.

Any speculation of the type is "totally misplaced. No it is not true", State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at a briefing on April 21, when a correspondent referred to speculation that the Ambassador's desire to return is linked to his unhappiness with the lack of firmness in the US resolve on the terrorism issue between India and Pakistan.

Blackwill will be in India for some months more. "I know there is still a lot of work to do, that he will help us do," Boucher said.

He said that Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke to Blackwill on April 20 and appreciated his service as Ambassador to India, and praised the work that he had done.

"They talked, as always, about the work on the current agenda between the United States and India," he said, adding both President Bush and Powell had known that Blackwill desired to return to his teaching at Harvard and spend more time with his family.

Blackwill announced in New Delhi on April 21 that he would return home to pursue his academic career at Harvard University.

PTI