New Delhi, May 10, 2003
Richard Armitage: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I can't tell you what adelight it is for me to be back in Delhi. This is my fourth visit in two years and I hope I have at least fourmore in the next two. I was sent to South Asia -- and particularly here to India -- by President Bush to makethe point that although the United States has been very heavily engaged in Iraq; we are able to do two thingsat once. And one of the things we are able to do is to promote our relations with India.
I had a very good set of discussions today. Let me tell you that I was able to convey to Prime MinisterVajpayee, the President's and Mrs. Bush's condolences in the form of a letter for the loss of his sister. On ahappier note, I was able to invite Deputy Prime Minister Advani to Washington as the guest of our VicePresident in June. I had an excellent opportunity to review the excellent state of US-India relationsfollowing up on my conversation with Ambassador Mishra in London and his conversations in Washington toinclude a meeting with President George W. Bush.
I was able to convey to Prime Minister Vajpayee the President's, the Administration's and the Americanpublic's appreciation for the far-reaching act of statesmanship embodied in the statement which the PrimeMinister made in Srinagar extending the hand of friendship to Pakistan. I was able to engage in a discussionof regional and global interests with our friends here in Delhi; and finally I was able to expose mycolleagues here to that portion of my discussions in Pakistan, which are of interest to India.
So with that statement, I'd be glad to take a few questions.
Question: What assurance can you give that Pakistan will stop cross-border terrorism(inaudible)
Richard Armitage: I have spoken in Delhi to this matter. President Musharraf told methat "there was nothing happening across the Line of Control, and if there were training camps on thePakistan side of the Line of Control, that they would be gone by tomorrow," he said. It's not my job togive assurances; it's not my job to tell our Indian friends what I think. It is for India to make up her ownmind on what she thinks about that particular statement from President Musharraf.
Question: What did the Indian leadership (inaudible) tell you about that statement, whetherthey believed it or not?
Richard Armitage: I think the fact of the matter is that people are dying. Andwhenever people die, whenever women and children and innocent non-combatants die for political purposes, onehas to call that terrorism. And I would let Indian officials speak for themselves. From our point of view, thefact of the matter is all violence has got to end.
Question: Islamabad has told you that cross-border terrorism has gone down, but even theState Department and other reports say that it hasn't (inaudible)
Richard Armitage: As I said in Islamabad, I had a very careful review of ourunderstanding of incidents and deaths surrounding cross-border violence. My position, my point of view is thatit is a terrible thing when we reduce the death of a person, a loved one for some family, to a statistic. So,I concentrate on the fact that all violence must end.
Question: During the course of your talks today and with Mr. Mishra, was there any referenceto Iraq and does the US want Indian troops deployed in Iraq in one way or the other in the next few weeks ormonths?
Richard Armitage: In my discussions, both in London and here in Delhi, I talkedabout the situation, present situation as we saw it in Iraq, our own activities there and talked in generalabout reconstruction in Iraq in which there will certainly be a role for (India). I made no specific requestabout troops or anything of that nature.
Question: What can move the dialogue between Indian and Pakistan forward at this time?
Richard Armitage: Well, I said in Islamabad and I'll say again here that I amcautiously optimistic that the process begun by the act of statesmanship by the Prime Minister of India couldpossibly lead to a step by step process that would eventually resolve all issues. We would like to see the twogreat nations - India and Pakistan - living side by side in peace, stability and harmony. We'd like to see theability for the United States to develop a relationship with Pakistan, in and about Pakistan; and arelationship with India, in and about India; and not having to take into consideration other interests. Butthat's a hope we have. It's a long trip to when one would get there and I just hope we've begun a process.
Question: The United States calls Pakistan its ally in the fight against terrorism. Accordingto the India Government, India is a victim of Pakistan's terrorism coming from across the border. How do youreconcile these two apparently contradictory stands?
Richard Armitage: As I've said before in Islamabad the fact that more than 500terrorists have been arrested in Pakistan, most recently six who were intent on doing great harm to USpersonages in Karachi, is a great aid to us in the global war on terrorism. I might add that India is apartner with us in this global war on terrorism. And our position doesn't need to be reconciled. A terroristis a terrorist is a terrorist. That's a quote from George W. Bush.
Thank you all very much. Good night.
