US denies any roadmap for Kashmir issue

The United States on Friday denied reports that it has developed a roadmap for solving the Kashmir problem.

A US embassy spokesman said reports attributed to General (retd) Jay Garner that the US has set year 2004 as deadline for solving the Kashmir issue is wrong. "These reports in their entirety and in each allegation are a complete fabrication," he said.

Pakistani newspaper The News had reported on Thursday that Garner, who is the US administrator for Iraq, told a prominent Pakistani that his country will ensure a 'permanent solution' of the 'Kashmir problem' by December 2004 at the latest.

The Pakistani, who was reportedly invited to dinner by Garner, was told the US wants to 'solve this problem once and for all'. The newspaper said Garner told the unnamed Pakistani that South Asia is the world's 'most volatile region' due to nuclear weapons in the possession of India and Pakistan. "It is even more dangerous than North Korea because of the history," Garner was quoted as telling his Pakistani guest. "A Kashmir roadmap will follow in the wake of the West Asia roadmap aimed at resolving the Palestinian issue on a permanent basis," he is quoted to have further said to the Pakistani.