'Continue Dialogue Not Cut Off Channels'

QUESTION: Okay. Violence. We can start with Kashmir and then go to the Middle East, if you want. A couple of Indiansoldiers --

MR. BOUCHER: Are you going to lead us on the around-the-world tour, Barry?

QUESTION: Well, it's all bad news stuff. There's probably a theme here, but I won't try to --

MR. BOUCHER: Please, don't.

QUESTION: No, I won't. But it seems to be -- as the AP says -- suspected Islamic militants have killed now two Indiansoldiers in Kashmir. There's a flare-up. Is there anything the US intends to do or can do to ameliorate thesituation?

MR. BOUCHER: I would just say that we have made clear what our strong concerns are about potential for conflict betweenIndia and Pakistan. We have been working with both those governments to try to see if we can't use theexcellent relations that they each have with the United States to contribute in some way to an easing of thetensions. We think the surest way to lower tensions and resolve disputes between the neighbors is through moredialogue between them, not less. That makes it important to keep their channels of direct communication open.

We remain deeply engaged with Indian and Pakistani leaders. Over the weekend, the Secretary spoke withPresident Musharraf on Sunday, further continuing his involvement. We have had regular high-level visits andvisitors with people from these two countries. We do expect that Deputy Secretary Armitage will travel to theregion in the near future. I don't have details or dates for you at this point.

So the United States is involved, has been involved, will remain involved in doing whatever we can to helpthese two governments lessen the tension.

QUESTION: Travel to the region, you mean go to the obvious places?

MR. BOUCHER: India and Pakistan, yes.

QUESTION: Do you have -- your line about "keep channels of direct communication open," should we assume thatrelates directly to the Indian decision to expel the Pakistani Ambassador?

MR. BOUCHER: That relates to any steps that make it more difficult to have that dialogue. We would in fact encourage themto continue a dialogue, not to cut off channels.

QUESTION: Which means that this is -- well, what is your reaction to the expulsion of the Ambassador?

MR. BOUCHER: As I said, we encourage them to use their channels to have more dialogue, not less. That's where we'll stop.

QUESTION: And on Deputy Secretary Armitage -- I realize you say you don't have dates or times, but would the first weekof June, which is what apparently the Pakistanis and others are saying, is about the time frame?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not quite ready yet to speculate on the time frame, but that would qualify as being in the near future,yes. Which is what I said.

QUESTION: Did the Secretary's talk with General Musharraf included -- I guess this talk took place after Indiaannounced the expulsion of Pakistani Ambassador from India. Did this --

MR. BOUCHER: I don't remember the exact timing of the announcement. I'm really not at this point prepared to go intospecific details of their discussion, other than to say that whenever he talks to his counterparts in theregion, whether it is Foreign Minister Singh, or in the case of Pakistan he talks frequently with PresidentMusharraf, he's always looking for what the United States can do and how we can help ease the tensions betweenthem. And that's the context for the phone call.

QUESTION: Richard, how do you compare the tension this time with the last time, when the Indian parliament was attackedand to blame --

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think we compare the tensions. These attacks have been awful and caused terrible loss of life anddamage, as well as make it more difficult for two neighbors to live peacefully together. And that's our goal.

QUESTION: Isn't the Administration worried about what is happening between India and Pakistan at this time?

MR. BOUCHER: I just said we're strongly concerned about it. I'll stay with that.

QUESTION: Richard, you just had a senior Indian defense official in the building today meeting with Deputy SecretaryArmitage. Did you look for and receive any kind of assurances from the Indian Government that they wouldrefrain from taking any kind of retaliatory action?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, I don't -- was that meeting this morning? I didn't realize the meeting was over. I don't have aspecific readout of that particular meeting. But put it in the same context: we always look for what we can doto try to help them ease tensions.

QUESTION: How concerned is the US that -- there are apparently some reports of movements, or at least steps that arebeing taken -- to take some sort of military action. How concerned is the US that --

MR. BOUCHER: Strongly concerned.

QUESTION: One more?

MR. BOUCHER: I've said that before. Let's let somebody else have a question, too.

QUESTION: Can you tell us, at this meeting, was it scheduled because of the current crisis, or did he happen to behere? What was the purpose --

MR. BOUCHER: I think it was previously scheduled, but I'll have to double-check on that.

QUESTION: There is a joint meeting at the Pentagon tomorrow, isn't there, involving US --

MR. BOUCHER: Again, let me double-check the exact schedule on these things.

QUESTION: Richard, again Prime Minister of India said that action will be taken, and they will respond, and Pakistanihand is there clearly. And also, yesterday, the Indian general army for the first time said that time has cometo punish Pakistan, what he had done, just like Israelis have done against Arafat.

MR. BOUCHER: Okay. Two statements. Do you want to ask a question?

QUESTION: No -- any Secretary's comments on this?

MR. BOUCHER: As I said, we're --

QUESTION: That's why you're rushing Deputy Secretary Armitage into the region?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think we are rushing Deputy Secretary Armitage out there. He has been involved in this situation inthe past. He has gone there before. We have had our Assistant Secretary out there. Our Deputy Secretary hasbeen involved and will remain involved. The Secretary of State himself has been involved. It is just one ofthe many ways the United States continues to work on this issue to try to see what we can do to help theparties defuse the tension.

QUESTION: That will follow, Secretary's visit, maybe in the near future?

MR. BOUCHER: I wouldn't speculate on that.

QUESTION: New topic?

MR. BOUCHER: Okay, let's finish with this.

QUESTION: Have you brought in any other country on this? Brits, who have a special --

MR. BOUCHER: I think we have made clear we have talked repeatedly with other governments about this. When ForeignSecretary Straw was here, both he and the Secretary talked about it, if I remember correctly, at their newsconference. It was one of the issues that they have stayed in close touch on, and the British Government aswell is doing what it can to try to ease tensions. It is a subject that he has discussed with Foreign MinisterIvanov on several occasions, as well as with other Europeans who were interested and involved in thissituation.

QUESTION: What about the alliance in Afghanistan? Does that have --

MR. BOUCHER: Sorry?

QUESTION: What about the alliance group in Afghanistan? Are they being brought into the discussions by the UnitedStates?

MR. BOUCHER: The alliance? You mean the --

QUESTION: Whatever you want to call it.

MR. BOUCHER: The government?

QUESTION: No. The alliance --

MR. BOUCHER: Oh, you mean the people that are -- many of the governments that are working in Afghanistan together havealso been concerned and active in this situation. There's not a formal grouping, no, that gets together forthe purposes of diplomacy.

QUESTION: Can I stay in the region? It will be very brief, and then they can pop right back to us, because it'srelated. I just want to know, these meetings haven't happened yet, but is there anything special on the agendafor the meetings with the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister and the Afghan Interior Minister that are supposed tobe here today?

MR. BOUCHER: Bangladeshi Foreign Minister, Manzur Morshed Kahn, the meeting is at 3:00 p.m. to talk about strengtheningBangladesh's democratic institutions, making progress in the shared endeavor to confront terrorism and itssupporters. So that's the general context for that.

On the meeting with the Afghan Interior Minister, I don't have anything at this point. We'll get you areadout afterwards.

QUESTION: You mentioned that the Secretary has spoken to President Musharraf. Can you remind us when he last hadcontact with Foreign Minister Singh?

MR. BOUCHER: Last week, I think it was Thursday. I talked about it at the time. It might have been Wednesday.

QUESTION: I don't know if you can go any further, but you've been saying that you always are looking for what the UScan do to help ease tensions. Can you elaborate a little bit more or give any more specifics?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I can't at this point. Obviously, when we talked to them, we talk about specific things that they coulddo or that we could help contribute to, but at this point it is really a matter of working with them in somedetail but trying to keep the effort underway.

QUESTION: What do you say, though, to countries like India, and in the case of Israel, which says that they're fightingterrorists in their own back yard? Why is it not the same as when the US goes to Afghanistan to fight al-Qaidaand the Taliban?

MR. BOUCHER: You can't make simple comparisons. You have to deal with each situation. If you want to get at terrorism, youhave to get at terrorism. That doesn't always mean using military means. Sometimes it involves calling upon aresponsible government, or a government who should be responsible, to work with you in taking care ofterrorism.

And indeed, if you look around the world at the way the United States fights terrorism, some places we doit directly with military force, some places we do it through cooperation with other governments. You usewhatever the best means is to stop the terrorism. And that is what we are trying to do and that is what wethink other governments should try to do, too. Don't immediately resort to military action, and that may notbe your most effective means.

QUESTION: Richard, when you said ease tension both sides, why both sides, because India is saying that this is onlyone-sided story and terrorism from Pakistan. Pakistan is sending those terrorists on infiltration intoKashmir, so that means --

MR. BOUCHER: We want to --

QUESTION: -- Secretary should focus on Pakistan, asking General Musharraf to stop terrorism into India, and then theycan have peace in the region.

MR. BOUCHER: We need to work with both sides if you're going to effectively ease tension across an area where both sidesare located.

QUESTION: I understand that you said you didn't want to characterize the Secretary's conversation with PresidentMusharraf, but can you tell us, is the State Department satisfied with the Pakistani Government's efforts tocrack down on the militant groups that have apparently done these attacks in Kashmir?

MR. BOUCHER: I think we have said quite clearly after the January 12th speech by President Musharraf that we certainlywelcomed the speech, we welcomed the announcement, we welcomed since then a number of the steps that he hastaken to implement that speech. His speech involved a very broad program of reorienting Pakistani society, aswell as cracking down on the groups, and he has taken a number of very specific steps with regard to thegroups.

But I think he himself would say that process is by no means over; it is an ongoing process, and there is alot more to do. So as he proceeds down that road, we remain very interested in the steps that he's taking tocarry out the January 12th speech.

QUESTION: Well, the Indians are claiming that since the January 12th speech that there has been virtually no decreasein the infiltration of Pakistani militants along the border. Could you say whether you think that there hasbeen a decrease in infiltration?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I'm in a position to characterize it because of the kind of information we may or may not haveabout the situation there.

QUESTION: Before we leave this subject, which I'm sure people are eager to do, lest we forget, did the Secretary andGeneral Musharraf talk about the Daniel Pearl case at all? And do you have any update on the discovery of thebody that may or may not be his?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't remember their discussing this case in any particular detail, but obviously both of them arefollowing it very closely, and I wouldn't be surprised if it had arisen.

As far as where it stands, the identification of the remains that were recovered last week that may bethose of Daniel Pearl, the identification is in the hands of Pakistani police. Our understanding is they havenot yet completed their forensic tests, and we can't say exactly how long it will take to complete thosetests. We do remain in close contact with Pakistani law enforcement officials. Our Consulate in Karachi andthe Department also stay in close touch with Mr. Pearl's family to keep them informed of developments.

We remain committed to bringing to justice all those involved in the abduction and murder of Mr. Pearl. Ifit can be established that Mr. Pearl's remains and the site of his murder have been located, then we hope thatthese developments could help bring his murderers to justice.