Clinton unwilling to get more involved in Kashmir: Newsweek
Washington, July 12 (Agencies)
US President Bill Clinton, who successfully prevailed upon Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif to withdraw troops from the Indian side of the Line of Control in Kashmir recently, is unwilling to get any more involved in Kashmir, media reports said here today.
"President Clinton does not want to get any more involved in the Kashmir mess," Newsweek reported in its latest issue referring to Sharif's claim that after the withdrawal of Pakistani troops from Kargil, Clinton was committed to mediating with india on Kashmir.
Quoting US officials, Newsweek said, Clinton rejected Sharif's request to mediate with India over Kashmir during their Blair House meeting, insisting instead that Islamabad withdraw without delay from Kargil to defuse tension with New Delhi.
The weekly said Clinton also asked Sharif to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and resume diplomatic talks set in motion by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee during his historic Delhi-Lahore bus ride in February.
It quoted a senior Clinton Administration official saying that when Clinton received Sharif in Blair House in response to a call from Sharif "begging" Clinton for a meeting, he found "a President who was very very clear that there was not going to be any reward for what he had done."
"What he got was, 'here is what you need to do' demand: pull the invaders out of Indian territory," the official said.
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