US asks India, Pakistan to resolve tensions to combat terrorism

WASHINGTON: Describing terrorism as a shared challenge, the US has asked all nations including India and Pakistan to work in concert and coordination to deal with terror groups like the Islamic State that pose a "very real threat".

"We all recognise and our partners in that region recognise that terrorism is a shared challenge, a shared responsibility, for all of us to work together," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday when asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments about terrorism during his recent visit to the UAE.

All nations must "share information as best we can and to work in concert and coordination - as we are against ISIL, 62-plus nations - to get at this very real threat," he said referring to Modi's remarks that all doors should be shut to terrorists like Dawood Ibrahim, who is reported to have homes in both Pakistan and Dubai.

Kirby said Prime Minister Modi has "every right to be concerned about the security of his country and his people".

When asked about tension between India and Pakistan, Kirby said America's position has not changed on the matter and its upto the two nations to resolve their differences.

"Certainly, there - we know there continue to be tensions, and our position about that has not changed. These are matters for both India and Pakistan to work out. There's certainly enough motivation to do that given that tension still exists," he said.

"We have strong bilateral relations with both countries, and we, the United States have, as Secretary (of State John) Kerry has said himself, have strong interest in seeing peaceful resolution to the tensions there," Kirby said.

Asked how many terrorists wanted by both India and the US were hiding in Pakistan, Kirby said he had "no idea, what the number might be to that."