India, Pak need to move beyond stereotype rivalry: US

WASHINGTON: Describing India as its "strong" ally, the United States has said both New Delhi and Islamabad should move beyond the stereotype rivalry against each other and concentrate on how to fight terrorism, poverty and other challenges being faced by the people in the region.

"We have a very strong and growing partnership with India. We have a partnership with Pakistan that we're trying to improve on. We need to get away from these views of if we are a supporter or we have a good relationship with India, that impacts the relationship with Pakistan," State Department Deputy spokesman Robert Wood said at his daily press briefing.

Wood was responding to questions about growing anxiety among the people of Pakistan because of the strengthening relationship between India and the US.

"I understand that that is how people in the region see it, but I think we really need to move away from this type of view in the 21st century," Wood said, adding that the people of the region have some very difficult challenges to face.

"We are doing what we can to try to support them as they confront these challenges, not only from terrorism but from poverty, illiteracy, drought, disease," he said.

The US would continue to work with India, Pakistan and other countries to deal with these challenges.

"But we have to move away from these old stereotypes and work with one another in the 21st century to defeat these common enemies that we do face, as I said - drought, disease, hunger, illiteracy, poverty, terrorism," Wood said.