US can't impose itself on Indo-Pak dialogue: Obama

MUMBAI, Nov 7 (PTI) - President Barack Obama today made it clear that the United States "cannot impose" itself on Indo-Pak relations and called for a "military response" in a "significant ongoing way" against those who perpetrated terror attacks in Mumbai and New York.

Obama avoided any reference to Kashmir but, endorsing India's stand, said that less contentious issues should be taken up first in an Indo-Pak dialogue process.

India has been persistently suggesting to Pakistan that less contentious issues could be taken up for bilateral talks before the two countries move on to discussing thorny issues like Kashmir.

Interacting with students of St Xaviers College here in a typical US town-hall style meeting for nearly an hour, Obama expressed hope that over time, trust develops between India and Pakistan and dialogue begins perhaps on "less controversial issues building upto more controversial issues".

The Assam Tribune

Obama avoided any reference to Kashmir but, endorsing India's stand, said that less contentious issues should be taken up first in an Indo-Pak dialogue process.

India has been persistently suggesting to Pakistan that less contentious issues could be taken up for bilateral talks before the two countries move on to discussing thorny issues like Kashmir.