Interview with BBC
Robert O. Blake, Jr.
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
Washington, DC
June 3, 2010
QUESTION: But isnt India right to worry that the U.S. might sacrifice Indias interests while it seeks Pakistans help in the region, particularly when it comes to Afghanistan?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: I dont think India really is worried about that. Weve had extensive talks with our Indian friends, not only during the course of this strategic dialogue but previously. So I think they understand very well what were trying to accomplish in both Afghanistan, and in Pakistan. I think certainly there are occasionally concerns about some of the U.S. arms that we are exporting to Pakistan, and we have reassured them that those of course are for the purposes of helping Pakistan to pursue its counterinsurgency efforts in the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan, certainly not directed against India, and that we have end use monitoring provisions to assure ourselves of that.
So again, I think there is quite a broad understanding of what were trying to accomplish, and the Indians certainly support our invigorated economic assistance for Pakistan to help stabilize that important country.