Pak, Afghan important but not at cost of India: Blake

September 26th, 2009 NEW YORK - The United States has once again made it clear that it would not interfere in issues concerning India and Pakistan, and that they should be resolved by the two countries themselves. Interacting with media persons here, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake, said it was important to resolve the pending issues between India and Pakistan, but Washington believes that it should be done by the two concerned states only.

September 25th, 2009 NEW YORK - The United States is hard at work preparing for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's state visit on Nov 24 as it views India as one of its most important partners in the 21st century. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton conveyed this to External Affairs Minister S.M.

September 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Wednesday said its relationship with India was undergoing "seismic changes" and will get a major boost during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit in November. Washington also asked Pakistan to prosecute those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks and stop infiltration of militants into India to rebuild confidence with New Delhi.

August 15th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will have to take action against Mumbai attackers and ensure its territory is not used for terrorism against India if it wanted to resume stalled talks with New Delhi, the new US pointsman for South Asia, Robert Blake, has said. "The first part of that sequencing (resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue) will be for Pakistan to take action against these five Mumbai suspects, to prosecute them," said Blake, who is assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs.

July 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has once again clarified that it would not appoint any special envoy to address the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan, and that the conflict should be resolved by the two neighbouring countries itself. Addressing South Asian journalists at a briefing here, US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs, Robert Blake said Washington, as part of its long-term strategy, does not support the idea of appointing an envoy to Kashmir.

July 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US hopes that greater understanding and progress on the issue of Pakistan moving forward with prosecution of those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks would emerge from the ongoing India-Pakistan dialogue. "Obviously, we want to see greater understanding and progress, particularly on the issue of Pakistan moving forward with prosecution of those responsible for the Mumbai attacks," Assistant Secretary for South Central Asian Affairs Robert O.

July 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Wednesday assured India that it should have no apprehension that the G-8 decision to put a bar on helping non-NPT countries to reprocess uranium would throw the India-US civil nuclear deal off track. "I don't think there should be any apprehension about the future of the civil nuclear agreement," Assistant Secretary for South Central Asian Affairs Robert O.

July 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States on Tuesday rejected India's concern over American assistance to Pakistan, said that the Indians should not worry about Washington's support for Islamabad, as the assistance is to overcome Pakistan's economic and militancy challenges. Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, rejected the concern, which asserted that Pakistan might divert U.S.

June 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has reiterated that Pakistan must move its troops stationed along the Indian border to the western Afghan border to focus more on the terror threat emanating from that area. Addressing a Congressional hearing here, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert O Blake said that Pakistan needed to move more troops from its border with India to the western parts of the country to fight terrorism.

May 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A US Senate Committee has approved the nomination of Robert Blake, currently the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, as Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. President Barack Obama nominated Blake, a career diplomat who has also served as the deputy chief of US mission in New Delhi from 2003 to 2006, in April.

May 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - With a growing convergence of interests ranging from combating terrorism to getting the global economy back on track, President Barack Obama's administration will seek an expanded strategic partnership with India, a top US diplomat says. 'With India we will seek an expanded strategic partnership, building on the growing convergence of our interests and values,' Robert O.

May 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has said that disrupting, dismantling and defeating Al Qaeda and their safe havens in Pakistan, and preventing their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan is top priority on its foreign policy. Robert O. Blake, who has replaced Richard Boucher as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs, said the South and Central Asia poses the toughest challenge to the Obama administration currently.

May 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Improvement of India-Pakistan ties hinges a great deal on action taken by Islamabad to bring perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack to justice, according to a top US diplomat. The Mumbai attack has been a major setback to the Indo-Pak peace process, Robert O.

April 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Robert Blake has been appointed as the new Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian affairs dealing with India and Pakistan following President Barack Obama's decision to remove Richard Boucher from the post. Blake, who is currently the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, would take charge of his new office after the US Senate confirms him.

April 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has named the US ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert Blake, to replace Richard Boucher as the assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs dealing with India and Pakistan. In announcing his nomination by Obama, the White House noted Blake was also deputy chief of mission at the US Mission in New Delhi from 2003 to 2006.