WASHINGTON: United States has urged Pakistan and India to hold direct talks for defusing the hostilities between the two countries, ARY News reported on Thursday.
US State Department Deputy Spokesman John Kirby in a media briefing has said that close economic ties between Pakistan and India can create employment opportunities for both South Asian countries.
He also said that the two nuclear armed countries have to devise strategies for restoring the bilateral ties.
He went on to say that the United States is committed for the peace process in Afghanistan. He said that Taliban have dangerous ambitions in the country and terrorists have safe havens along the Pak-Afghan border.
Kirby said that Pakistan has to take more steps to eradicate terrorism from the region. He said that Pakistan is well aware of the threats posed by terrorism.
“US will continue to cooperate with Pakistan and Afghanistan in tackling extremism,” Kirby said.
The state department said that US has not changed its decision regarding the closure of Guantanamo Bay Prison. He said that 60 prisoners, out of which five Pakistani inmates, are serving sentence at the detention centre.
Kirby said, “It has been decided that 20 prisoners will be shifted to different countries.”
