Author: PTI
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 28, 2009
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Kashmir_not_in_the_mandate_of_Holbrooke_US/rssarticleshow/4040867.cms
Allaying India's apprehensions, the US has
said that Kashmir is not in the mandate of Richard Holbrooke, who has been
appointed the Special Representative to the region "to deal strictly
with the Pakistan-Afghanistan situation".
"Well, it (Kashmir) is not in his (Holbrooke)
mandate," State Department spokesperson Robert Wood told reporters at
his daily press briefing in response to a question as to why Kashmir has not
been included in the mandate of Holbrooke.
"Well, it's not in his mandate, as you
mentioned, to deal with the subject of Kashmir. His mandate is to go out and
try to help bring stability to Afghanistan, working closely with Pakistan
to try to deal with the situation in the Fedrally-Administered Tribal Area,"
Wood said.
"With regard to Kashmir, I think our
policy is well-known. I think India has some very clear views as to what it
wants to do vis-a-vis, you know, dealing with the Kashmir issue, as well as
the Pakistanis," Wood said.
"But with regard to Ambassador Holbrooke's
mission, as I said, it's to deal strictly with the Pakistan-Afghanistan situation,"
Wood insisted, clarifying all doubts if any.
Asked whether the Special Envoy will play
a role at a time when there are heightened tensions between India and Pakistan
in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes, he said: "Well, I don't want
to speculate in terms of what he may or may not do, but his brief is focused
solely on, as I said, Afghanistan-Pakistan," Wood said.