Amid criticism that the decision of the Afghan Election Commission on the Presidential polls was not legal, the United States on Wednesday said it considers Hamid Karzai as the 'legitimately elected' president of the war-torn country.
"We have been very clear why this programme, particularly our Rewards for Justice programme, was put in place. We want to see this individual brought to justice," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told media persons.
As India goes ahead with its plan to modernise the armed forces, US has pitched for India to buy defense equipments from American companies. "We think we have the finest military hardware in the world, and if India is upgrading its defense capabilities, they should buy American," State Department spokesman, P J Crowley told reporters.
Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Washington, the United States has said preparations are underway to ensure 'a good, substantive schedule' for the Indian leader, the first state guest of the Barack Obama administration. President Barack Obama has invited Dr Singh for his first State Dinner at the White House on November 24. Officials at both the State Department and the White House have held a series of meetings to give final touches to the visit.
The United States, on Tuesday, denied reports that it has plans to seize Pakistan's nuclear weapons, saying it has confidence on the ability of Islamabad to provide adequate security for their atomic arsenal.
The Manipur police said all personnel of the force from top to bottom are united and any attack on anyone and use of social media to target any officer or unit will be taken seriously and stringent action will be taken.
The United States underlined that $ 10 million bounty for Lashkar-e-Tayyiba founder Hafiz Seed is not about finding his location, but to seek information that can convict the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in a court of law.
Asking the south Asian neighbours to avoid a 'zero-sum mentality', the United States has said that Pakistan has to have a constructive relationship with India. "Do all these countries need to avoid a zero-sum mentality that a gain on one side is necessarily a detriment on the other? We think that to the extent that these countries can work more effectively together, that will ultimately help reduce the threat of terrorism to any one of them," he said.
The Indian government successfully got a bill on foreign direct investment in retail sector passed in Lok Sabha, despite stiff opposition.
"We certainly think it would be a mistake for the Pakistani civilian government to follow the press intimidation that was present during its predecessor," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said when asked about the recent developments in Pakistan in this regard.
The United States on Tuesday slapped sanctions on 21 Iranian-backed firms, increasing pressure over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme and its alleged support for radical groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
Even as the Inter State Intelligence stands completely exposed in the eyes of the public for its terror links, in particular those against India, the Obama Administration has argued that New Delhi should continue its dialogue process with Islamabad.
"From the standpoint of India, India clearly, you know, wants to see that Pakistan is taking steps to bring to justice those people that threaten neighbouring states," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said.
United States State Department spokesman Mark Toner's statement has been an encouraging one for Indian investigating agencies probing the David Headley case.
The United States has said it is important for Pakistan to investigate the Mumbai terror attack and bring to justice those responsible for the entire region's benefit. State Department spokesman P J Crowley told reporters at his daily news briefing that the US would continue to discuss with Pakistan the need to probe the 26/11 carnage that killed 166 people. "There are things, clearly, that Pakistan must do," he said.
The United States on Friday said the current situation in Kashmir was India's internal issue and asked protestors to conduct agitations in a peaceful manner.
Ahead of the Chicago trial of the Mumbai attacks on May 16, the United States has said it was committed to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 terror strikes to justice.
The United States has offered rewards amounting to USD 20 million (around Rs 127 crore) for tips on whereabouts of four top leaders of the Islamic State, a day after the terror group claimed responsibility for its first attack on American soil.
As US State Department on Wednesday posted a new map of India reflecting its long standing official position on the country's geographical boundaries, its spokesman acknowledged of having made a "goof up" in this regard, which had resulted in a strong objection from New Delhi.
Amid controversy generated by the release of secret cables by WikiLeaks, including those from United States embassy in New Delhi, the Barack Obama administration has said that American diplomats in India are doing their job just like their counterparts in the US. "Our diplomats do what diplomats do, and what we do in a country like India is no different than what Indian diplomats do in our country," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said at his daily news conference.
The United States has warned India and other key governments across the world about a new potentially embarrassing release of classified documents by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks which may harm the American interests and create tension in its ties with its "friends".
The United States has said that it is pleased with the success of Pakistan army against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Southern Waziristan and reiterated that it would continue to support such efforts to combat terrorism.
The United States has admitted that two of the three wives of Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley had multiple conversations with its officials in 2007 and 2008 about his radical connection, but they could not provide any specific information about the time and place of the terror attacks.
India and the US may ink the landmark nuclear deal as early as Friday after President George W Bush signs into law the legislation on the initiative. The signing of the HR7081, the approval legislation for the US-India civilian nuclear agreement, into law by Bush on Wednesday will be followed by formal inking of the accord by the two countries, which will be done by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee.
United States has said it is looking at India to see what changes can be made in certain provisions in the Nuclear Liability Bill, which was recently passed by the Parliament.
Amid concerns about the high level corruption in aid distribution in Pakistan, the United States has said it will not tolerate corruption in distribution of aid and flood relief work in the flood-hit country.
The United States encourages open exchange between China and the Dalai Lama on the issue of Tibet, an Obama Administration official said today.
Terming the End-Use Monitoring Agreement with India as a "landmark" pact, the United States on Wednesday said it was an important step in the global non-proliferation effort and brings New Delhi into the mainstream of the regime.
"Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, the Japanese government and many other governments have stated clearly that they will not submit to this kind of blackmail," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Thursday.
The United States said on Friday that it would "carefully evaluate" any request from India to bring to justice Warren Anderson, the former CEO of Union Carbide, who is wanted in a case related to the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy that killed several thousands of people. "...if the government of India makes such a request of us, we will carefully evaluate it," State Department spokesman P J Crowley, told reporters in response to a question.
Welcoming the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia, the United States on Tuesday said it is encouraged by the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue, which was stopped in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Analysts suggest that with the Indo-US nuclear deal in limbo, New Delhi could be balancing foreign policy with an eye to the polls. They say that India's sharp response to the US State Department's 'advice' on Iran was one such move. While some felt the response was a case of dangerous over-reaction, others said it was merely an act of diplomacy where relations with other countries, particularly the US, are balanced to suit India's interests.
The United States on Monday indicated that it is favourably inclined to the civilian nuclear deal between China and Pakistan, but it should be in compliance with the rules of Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The United States on Friday declined to comment on a WikiLeaks cable that sparked allegations that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government purchased the support of Members of Parliament to survive the trust vote over the Indo-US nuclear deal in 2008. "I am not going to say if it (the cable) is classified or not, but certainly if it is classified, we wouldn't speak about it, and we are not going to speak about it in way, shape or form," said a spokesperson.
United States has said it has evidence that elements close to the Egyptian government were responsible for the attack on protesters demanding outer of President Hosni Mubarak.
"These decisions were good steps that were taken, but clearly more has to be done in terms of getting a real substantive political dialogue back on track in Pakistan," State Department Spokesman Robert Wood told media persons on Monday.
The United States today said Pakistan has taken "some positive steps" since the Mumbai terror strikes even as it asked Islamabad to "act" to prevent "any future terrorist attacks".
The United States government has no high-level contact with New Delhi on the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to her External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday.
The Obama Administration has rejected Pakistan's allegations that the developmental efforts by India in Afghanistan are a security threat to it, saying a stable and more prosperous Afghanistan will only contribute to regional stability.
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