THE US Embassy here had cautioned its government against any "activism" in Kashmir saying even a hint of it can prove counter-productive in view of India`s hypersensitivity to third party involvement on the issue, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.
"Any hint of USG (United States Government) activism in Kashmir, however helpful the intentions behind it, will prove counterproductive because of the GOI`s (Government of India) hypersensitivity to third party involvement in Kashmir," the US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, had said in a secret cable to Washington in 2009.
"In order for the Government of India’s efforts to restore sustainable peace and stability in Kashmir to succeed, its engagement with the separatists and with the Kashmiri people must be free of any perception of outside influence," the ambassador said.
Roemer had outlined a slew of measures that Indian government should take to make a forward movement on the resolution of the Kashmir issue, particularly the internal dimensions but warned against making these "prescriptive" in nature.
In the list of 20 suggestions, he had said that the Centre should ensure that dialogue with separatists achieves results and the generous development spending in Jammu and Kashmir should continue.
Roemer had also outlined the importance of holding panchayat elections in the state at the earliest saying "the record turnout in the assembly and parliamentary elections shows that Kashmiris want to participate in the democratic process."
He also suggested that government should release selected prisoners who are not hardcore militants and do not pose any serious threat but have been incarcerated for years.
"Release prisoners who have been incarcerated longer than the court-directed sentences, discontinue the practice of re-arresting accused militants who have been released by courts and stop the misuse of the Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows the government to detain anyone for two years without trial," Roemer said in the cable.
