Srinagar
India has rejected claims that there has been an offer from Russia to mediate between India and Pakistan on any issue including Kashmir.
Russia has not offered to mediate between India and Pakistan regarding the Kashmir conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday, rejecting Islamabad’s claim about Russia offering to mediate on Kashmir.
In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said: No offer of mediation between India and Pakistan was made by Russia to India. It is my understanding that Russia is very well aware of India’s consistent position to address all outstanding issues with Pakistan bilaterally in an environment free of terrorism and violence.
The statement came hours after Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan welcomes “Russia’s attention and intention to play a role in this long-standing issue on the UNSC agenda”.
Zakaria , as per a report by The Express Tribune, said there was growing realisation and concern among regional countries as well as the United States of the threat to peace in the region due to India’s unprovoked firing along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.
Responding to reports that Russian President Viladmir Putin, during his recent meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the newspaper reported, offered to mediate between Islamabad and New Delhi, the spokesperson said, “Pakistan welcomes UNSC Permanent Member Russia’s attention and intention to play a role in this longstanding issue on the UNSC agenda.”
