Press: After the change of government in Islamabad, what is your assessment for an improvement of Indian-Pakistan ties, and how important do you see that in terms of ensuring stability in Afghanistan after 2014?Ambassador Dobbins: I think that any improvement in India [and] Pakistan ties will almost automatically improve Afghanistan's situation. I've met twice now in little more than two weeks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The first time shortly before he became prime minister and then again the day before yesterday. My sense is that an improvement in relations with India is fairly high on his list of priorities. He's got an overwhelming set of problems facing him, most immediately economic pressures...But on the external front, and I think he understands that internal and external affairs are related, my sense is that improving relations with India seems to be his top priority.Press: [Regarding] talks with the Taliban, without tackling the issue of terror, do you believe that an i

James Dobbins

James Dobbins

James Dobbins

'Peace talks are held during the war - not after the war'