Thursday, December 23 2004 09:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The United States has said that both India and Pakistan now look to Washington for assistance on common issues because it deals with India and Pakistan separately and not as "India-Pakistan".

"I think we should be pleased with what we have been able to do with Pakistan and even more interesting is what we have been able, also, to do with India by not seeing them as the same India-Pakistan," US Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday (Dec 22, 2004) said at a 'Christian Science Monitor' press lunch.

"We are working with India on its needs, a new strategic framework that we have got with them, the NSSP (Next Steps in Strategic Partnership) and we deal with it as a major sovereign, democratic nation and we deal with Pakistan as a separate nation. And because we do it that way, they look to us for assistance when they need to work on common issues," he said.

"We have, perhaps, the best relationship with India that we have had in many decades, and the same with Pakistan," he said.

On Osama bin Laden, Powell said that if Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf knew where he was, "I am sure we could apprehend him and the Pakistanis would do it if they knew. If they tripped across him, they're going to bring him in."

Musharraf, he said, has done a great deal "from where we started on 9/11". And it was a major strategic decision on his part.