No reason for Pak to worry about Indo-Afghan partnership: US

Washington, Oct 5 (PTI) Welcoming the strategic
partnership agreement between India and Afghanistan, the
United States asserted on Wednesday that there was no reason
for uneasiness or apprehension by Pakistan's leadership on
this.
"It should not been seen as a zero-sum game," a State
Department official said, when asked about the possible
implication in Pakistan of India-Afghan Strategic Partnership,
announced in New Delhi a day earlier, particularly at a time
when there is simmering tension in US-Pak relationship.
"We got a common goal there which is peaceful, stable and
an increasingly democratic country (in Afghanistan) which...
everybody would be able to benefit from peace and security so
it is not a zero-sum game," the official said requesting
anonymity as the official was authorised to speak to the media
on this issue.
Earlier in the day, the State Department spokesperson,
Victoria Nuland, welcomed the reports of strategic partnership
between India and Afghanistan which was announced during the
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's visit to New Delhi
yesterday.
"I would first say that we are seeing the same reports
that you are that India and Afghanistan will soon announce a
strategic partnership that India is going to participate in
the new Silk Road Initiative. Those are both things that we
very much welcome," Nuland told reporters.
The spokesperson also welcomed the recent Commerce
Ministers talks between India and Pakistan.
"We support any and all warming between Pakistan and
India. We have been strong supporters of the dialogues that
the two governments have been having," she said. PTI LKJ
MNS