US hopes Pakistan, India adhere to peace in wake of LoC tensions

UN says it has received a complaint about the January 6 incident, but no complaint about the January 8 incident.

WASHINGTON: Perturbed by the escalation in tensions between nuclear tipped Pakistan and India over a few border incidents, the Pentagon has voiced hope that both countries would be able to maintain peace.

"The issue of tensions, historical tensions between India and Pakistan is one that the secretary (of Defense Leon Panetta) knows very well," Press Secretary George Little said at a briefing in wake of Line of Control ceasefire violation in the disputed Kashmir region.

The Pentagon official spoke after Islamabad lodged a protest with New Delhi over Sunday's unprovoked attack on its military post in Haji Pir sector, which resulted in loss of a Pakistani soldier. Islamabad also rejected New Delhi's allegation that two Indian soldiers had been killed the a day later in an alleged Pakistani attack, terming it propaganda to cover up for the Indian attack against Pakistani soldiers on Sunday.

At the Department of Defence briefing, Little said: "And, of course, we all hope - and our Pakistani and Indian partners hope - that we can maintain peace and stability in the region."

Secretary of Defence Panetta has affirmed that position on visits throughout that region, including to India, Little added in response to a question.

Meanwhile State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland insisted "violence is not the answer for either country."

"We've been counseling both governments to de-escalate, to work through this issue, to continue the consultations between them at a high level that we understand are ongoing now.”

Earlier this week, the State Department had also expressed concern over cross-LoC violence following Islamabad's protest over the Indian raid, and called for an end to exchange of fire.

The two countries have largely observed ceasefire along the LoC in the last ten years and have also taken steps to normalise relations. Kashmir, one of the oldest UN-recognised unresolved disputes, however, remains the underlying cause of tensions between the two South Asian nuclear powers.

Speaking on the issue of terrorism, the Pentagon spokesperson underscored United States' commitment to "stand with everyone in the world to include those in India and in Pakistan, who take a very hard line against terrorists, who want to kill civilians, whether it's Pakistani, Indian or American civilians."

"We have all been affected by terrorism, and we believe that there needs to be a united front against terrorist groups operating in that region of the world and in others," Little noted, when an Indian journalist insisted that India could face terrorism as Afghanistan proceeds with its transition which will see an end to US-led war in that country in 2014.

Respect ceasefire

The United Nations Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to respect the ceasefire in the Kashmir.

Responding to a question about the heightening Indo-Pakistan tensions, spokesperson Martin Nesirky said while the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), received a complaint from Pakistan about an Indian incursion on January 6, it received no complaint from either the Pakistan Army or Indian Army about the alleged January 8 incident.

On its part, Pakistan has rejected the Indian claim as propaganda to cover up Indian attack against Pakistani soldiers on Sunday.

"UNMOGIP is aware that the Pakistan Army and Indian Army are in contact via the hotline and urges both sides to respect the cease-fire and de-escalate tensions through dialogue," the spokesperson said at the regular noon briefing in New York.