No mediation on Kashmir issue: US

The United States on Wednesday categorically ruled out any mediation on the Kashmir issue and strongly supported India's move to extend a hand of friendship to Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, outgoing US ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill said, "There will be no American roadmaps. No American game plan. No American substantive proposals."

He said America did not have any forewarning about Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's peace initiative at a public rally in Srinagar.

"The Bush administration did not have any hidden hand behind the Srinagar speech," Blackwill said, adding, "we have not put pressure on Indian government...we only made our preferences known."