Friday, February 17 2006 11:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Ahead of President George W Bush's visit to India and Pakistan, the US has said Islamabad "will have to close down" camps of Kashmiri militant groups operating from its territory and the Line of Control has to be respected.

The US has "again and again made clear that the Line of Control has to be respected and camps and operations will have to be closed down," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia designate Richard Boucher said at his Senate confirmation hearing yesterday (Feb 16 2006).

Boucher was responding to questions by Senator Richard Lugar, panel head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, about Kashmiri terror outfits operating out of Pakistan, in the interactive session following his testimony.

Bush is scheduled to visit the two countries early next month. Senator Lugar also quizzed Boucher on what the State Department was doing about the resurgence of the Taliban militia operating from bases inside Pakistan as also what President Pervez Musharraf had done about Kashmiri terrorist groups operating from within his country.

Boucher responded by pointing out that Musharraf had made a "fundamental decision" of changing the course of Pakistan in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 and that this is a long term effort.

"It is important for Pakistan to carry that out," Boucher said.