Holbrooke says not working on Kashmir issue

Washington, December 16: Making it clear that he is not working on the Kashmir problem, US special envoy for Af-Pak Richard Holbrooke has insisted that his mandate does not cover the issue, though he keeps India closely informed about his effort in the region where the country is a “hugely important factor.”

The Kashmir issue is neither his mandate, nor the countries in the region expect him to do, Holbrooke said at a meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington- based think tank, in response to a question.

“Let me be very clear. I am not working on that (Kashmir) problem,” Holbrooke said when asked about the issue and the need for US to mediate on it.

“I don’t even mention the problem I am not working on.
–Agencies