WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said Tuesday the United States would not intervene to resolve the Indo-Pakistan disputes, while declaring that that US ties with India will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century. In a joint Press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after two-hour talks at the White House, Obama said, With respect to security issues in the region, the prime minister and I had extensive discussions about that. I think our core goal is to recognise that our core goal is to achieve peace and security for all the people in the region, not just one country or the other. Obviously there are historic conflicts between India and Pakistan. It is not the place of the US to try to from the outside resolve all those conflicts, the US leader said. He said he believed Pakistan was making progress in fighting extremism as he tried to assuage Indias concerns about its historic rival. On the other hand, he added, We want to be encouraging ways in which both India and Pakistan can feel secure and focus on the development of their own countries and their own people. Obama observed that the US and Pakistan in the past focused more on military assistance but added his administration is now expanding bilateral cooperation to other areas that will help bring economic development to the people of Pakistan. He praised US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for an excellent job in trying to move forward and helping the State Department to refocus US energies on expanding cooperation to other areas. Obama, who is to announce an upgraded Afghan strategy next week, said Pakistan has an enormously important role in the security of the region by making sure that the extremists organisations that often operate out of its territories are dealt with effectively. And we have seen some progress, the work the Pakistani military is doing in the Swat Valley, in South Waziristan, all indicate the degree to which they are beginning to recognise that extremism, even if initially directed to outside, can also ultimately have an adverse impact on their security internally. So my hope is that overtime that we are going to see is further clarity and further cooperation between all the parties and all people of goodwill in the region to eradicate terrorist activity, to eradicate the kind of violent extremism that we have seen. I think that will benefit the people of Pakistan and India and the world community as well. On security, Obama said the US and India are natural allies. We both recognise that our core goal is to achieve peace and security for all people in the region, not just one country or the other, he said. The two leaders glossed over a dispute about commitments to reduce greenhouse gases in advance of the next months climate change summit in Copenhagen, but Obama said they had moved a step closer to a successful outcome. Noting that the US was Indias largest trading partner, Obama said broadening trade ties would help create much needed jobs in both countries as governments continue trying to stimulate recession-hit economies. In an elaborate welcoming ceremony earlier Tuesday, Obama showered praise on India and Singh, declaring it was only fitting the Indian leader should be the first state visitor of his administration. Obama said the US and India share the bold experiments of becoming democracies after breaking from rule by a colonial power, and in modern times both have known the pain of international terrorism. Our nations are two global leaders, driven not to dominate other nations but to build a future of security and prosperity for all nations, Obama said. Chilly, damp weather led the White House to move the ceremony indoors, where Singh and Obama stood before photographers and television cameras in the East Room as a Marine band played the national anthems of their countries. Singh said India and the US are separated by distance but bound by common national values of democracy, pluralism, rule of law and respect for fundamental human freedoms. This is a moment of great opportunity in our relationship, the Indian leader said. India and the US can, and must, work together to harness the immense potential of our talented and enterprising people, and support each others growth and prosperity, he said replying to Obamas warm words of welcome. Manmohan Singh said: India and America are separated by distance, but bound together by the values of democracy, pluralism, rule of law, and respect for fundamental human freedoms. Over the years, we have built upon these values and created a partnership that is based upon both principle and pragmatism. Our relations have been transformed, and today they encompass cooperation in all areas of human activity, he noted. He said he had come to build upon these successes and to strengthen our multifaceted relationship. We seek to broaden and deepen our strategic partnership, and to work with the US to meet these challenges of a fast-changing world in this 21st century. Obama and Singh told the joint news conference they were committed to completing a 2005 civil nuclear agreement that would open up Indias potential $150b market in power plants, but gave no details on how they planned to settle remaining snags that have delayed its implementation. We seek to broaden and deepen our strategic partnership, Singh said, with both leaders citing their countries shared values as the worlds largest democracies. Amid increasing unease here over the Afghan war, US President Barack Obama said he will announce his decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan next week to battle Taliban and Al-Qaeda, and that it is his intention to finish the job there. In a preview of what looms as one of the momentous decisions of his Presidency, he said he would tell the American people about a comprehensive strategy embracing civilian and diplomatic efforts as well as the continuing military campaign. While he avoided any hints of the new troop levels he foresees in Afghanistan, the President signalled that he will not be talking about a short-term commitment but rather an effort muscular enough to dismantle and degrade the enemy and ensure that Al-Qaeda and its extremist allies cannot operate in the region. The US President commented during an appearance with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House after what Obama called a detailed discussion of regional issues with the Indian leader, including Afghanistan. Obama said he would talk about the obligations of Americas allies in fostering peace in Afghanistan, and that the US would be acting not unilaterally but rather as part of a broader international community. And it will be up to the Afghan people to bring security to their homeland, with the help of training and other outside assistance, the president said. Agencies add: US President Obama took note of the historic animosity between Pakistan and India and signalled that the US wanted to find ways to reduce tensions between the two countries. The Pakistan Army was taking effective steps to root out extremism, he added. Many Indians have been uneasy about oversight of a giant 7.5 billion-dollar US aid package for Pakistan, which Obama hopes will bring development to Pakistan and reduce the appeal of extremists. The US President said Washington wanted peace in Asia and wanted to eliminate Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. On the occasion, Indian Premier Singh said India wanted to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir with Pakistan. He said though Pakistan had taken steps to eliminate extremists, but more efforts were needed in this connection. He alleged that last years Mumbai attacks accused were in Pakistan, and urged the international community to put pressure on Islamabad to bring the culprits to book. India wanted to bring ties to normalcy with countries of the region including Pakistan, Singh said, adding, Talibans success in Afghanistan will not only destabilise peace in Pakistan, but it will also affect South Asia and Middle East. He called on Pakistan to clamp down on groups that allegedly planned the Mumbai attacks but resisted calls last year to threaten military retaliation against the fellow nuclear power. A senior US official insisted any notion in India of us tilting in one direction or another is a misperception. The more India and Pakistan lessen tensions, the easier it is for each to do what has to be done, the administration official said. On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on the world to pressure Pakistan to rein in what he called extremists but said he had no regrets about his restraint after last years grisly assault on Mumbai. There was enormous pressure on me at that time, Singh said at the Council on Foreign Relations on a state visit to Washington. Singh said Indias restraint showed why the world should pressure Pakistan to use all its influence to curb the power of the terrorist groups. He said if Pakistan shows commitment against militants, we are ready to pick up the threads of the dialogue, including on issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir. But he said Indias red line was that it would not withdraw the border in Kashmir.