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"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.
Holbrooke, former US ambassador to United Nations, who brokered the peace deal that ended Bosnia's 1992-95 bloody war, was appointed as Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan last week by the Obama Administration.
Making the announcement, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said Holbrooke will coordinate across the entire government an effort to achieve United States' strategic goals in the region.
"This effort will be closely coordinated, not only within the State Department and, of course, with USAID, but also with the Defence Department and under the coordination of the National Security Council," she said.
Clinton said dealing with the situation in Afghanistan requires an integrated strategy that works with both Afghanistan and Pakistan as a whole, as well as engaging NATO and other key friends, allies, and those around the world who are interested in supporting these efforts.
At the same function, the US President, Barack Obama, had identified Pakistan and Afghanistan as the central front in the US war against terrorism.
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Kashmir has been kept out of Holbrookes mandate because the Americans have learnt from the snub China got from India over Kashmir.
STOP worrying, take control of the situation.If at all Indians are to be worried about security and economy due to Kashmir, then thanks to our leaders. If we could eradicate militancy in Punjab, then I'm sure we can do the same in Kashmir as well. It requires strong socio-political leadership and will to enforce to law and order. Kashmir is disputed territory.. is it? what about PoK? As a matter of fact NAPAKISTAN has been in control there in spite of UN resolution 38-40. There has been silence over it, but when it comes to India Administered Kashmir it immediately becomes disputed. We've been yielding to this type of propaganda for many years. What we need to realize is to maintain strong grip over it, strengthen it by all means. Indian tax payers should know that their money has been spent on this rogue issue for last 60 years and it will be there for years to come. If we gave up, it would waste of all that. One would argue that if it's going to drain our resources any further,
The negative or positive outcome of relations between Pakistan and India are profound to say the least.If solutions are to involve economic and political enfranchisement,how can India (the have)make it in the interest of Pakistan (the have not)to find common ground and let go of nationalism in favor of common opportunities ?
People of india should realise that solving kashmir issue will benefit india by means of security and economy.People have to accept the truth that kashmir is a disputed territory and final settlement to kashmir is yet to be done and as soon will be better.This is the right time to solve this issue as everybody is trying to faciltate the solution and also pakistan is under pressure for eleminating the extremism from there soil and solving kashmir will pave way for that because pakistan always justifies the terrorism by disputed nature of kashmir.A only person who benefits with terrorism wishes terrorism to continue in pakistan and continue effecting the security of indian people will only be opposed to kashmir solution.People should understand that one day we have solve this problem We have already lost so many lifes and the whole nation is at risk now due to this issue so to avoid any more precious life to loss we have should go for final settlement of the kashmir issue
Agreed Sohail.Both countries have to do some give and Take.We know that if given right of self determination then All kashmir will Fall to Pakinstan which obviously is not for Our benefit.There might be some settlement of Valley and some areas fallen to Pakistan while Jammu for India.Otherwise let the people of Kashmir decide there own Fate.
This guy has Solved the Bosnian issue.Then why not Kashmir.IT is unfinished agenda of partition which have to be solve even if both country have to swallow bitter thing.Otherwise we are more danger of instability which will passing slowly from Afghanistan to Pakistan and now from Pakistan to India.