Srinagar
Soon after US President Donald Trump raked up Kashmir mediation again, saying he would ” he would certainly intervene on Kashmir if India and Pakistan want me to”, India told the US that any discussion on Kashmir will take place bilaterally and only with Pakistan.
Taking to social networking site Twitter Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrote: “Have conveyed to American counterpart @SecPompeo this morning in clear terms that any discussion on Kashmir if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally.”
Have conveyed to American counterpart @SecPompeo this morning in clear terms that any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 2, 2019
President Trump on Thursday said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue but he was ready to assist.
Trump was replying to a question from the press on Kashmir. A reporter the comments of President on India’s rejection of the mediation offer on Kashmir which he had made some days back when he met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
While Pakistan had welcomed the offer, India was quick to reject it saying the issue has to be resolved bilaterally with Pakistan.
When asked how he wants to resolve the Kashmir, US president said, “If I can — if they wanted me to, I would certainly intervene.”
He said, “it’s really up to Prime Minister Modi. And I met with Prime Minister Khan; I got along great with — I think they’re a fantastic people, Khan and Modi. I mean, I would imagine they can get along very well.
But if they wanted somebody to intervene or to help them — and I spoke with Pakistan about that, and I spoke, frankly, to India about it. But that’s been going on, that battle, for a long time.”
