John Forbes Kerry is an American diplomat and Democratic Party politician who is the 68th and current United States Secretary of State. He previously served in the United States Senate, where he chaired the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Wikipedia
The United States and India urged Pakistan on Tuesday to do
more to counter extremist groups operating from its soil as the world’s two
largest democracies announced measures to strengthen security and energy ties.
Speaking on a visit to New Delhi, U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry declared that ties once clouded by suspicion had progressed
‘amazingly’ in the last two years and echoed President Barack Obama’s
description of their relationship as “the defining partnership of the 21st
century.”
India and the United States have a common goal in creating a
counterbalance to the rise of China and hold regular top-level dialogue in
Delhi and Washington under a formal strategic partnership. But a flare-up in
violence in Kashmir meant that India’s rival Pakistan featured prominently in
talks between Kerry and his counterpart, Sushma Swaraj.
After Foreign Minister Swaraj reiterated long-running
accusations that Pakistan was “providing safe havens to terror groups,” Kerry
also urged Islamabad to do more to combat extremists operating from its
territory. He said it was vital Islamabad moved to “deprive any group of
sanctuary,” highlighting the threat posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based
Kashmiri separatist group behind a string of anti-Indian attacks.
“We will not and we cannot make distinctions between good
and bad terrorists… Terrorism is terrorism,” Kerry said at a press conference
alongside Swaraj.
Kerry said the U.S. government had “had conversations with
all members of the region frankly about efforts they need to take against
terrorism which comes out of their country,” adding that he had personally raised
the issue with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
US Secretary of State John Kerry talked to Indian External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and asked India not to escalate tensions with
Pakistan, reported 24 News.
As per reports in Indian media, this is the second time that
John Kerry has talked to Sushma Swaraj over the last two days on the situation
emerging after the Uri attack.
It may be noted that Pakistan Army has categorially denied
Indian claim of ‘surgical strikes’ along the LoC.
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