Finland's foreign minister advocates third-party mediation on Kashmir

In remarks bound to embarrass and anger India, Finland's foreign minister Alexander Stubb today advocated third-party mediation to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

Stubb, who is on a two-day official visit to New Delhi, said, "I think in an issue like Kashmir, it is obviously quite clear that you have two parties, at least. And it thus takes two to tango. But if a bilateral solution has not been found in 60 years, then perhaps other  avenues for a solution should be found.

"In almost all conflicts in this world... if you cannot find a solution among the parties concerned, you would never. It is also quite often true that without mediation from a third party you will never find a solution. I think Kashmir is an example," he said.

The Finnish minister said he was not handing out any advice to India and Pakistan, but given that a solution has not been found to the Kashmir issue bilaterally for years, "other avenues" should be explored.

"I am not giving any advice to India or Pakistan, but pragmatically stating, if the issue can be solved bilaterally please give me the proof, or if it can't be solved bilaterally, let's do something else," he told reporters here.

He said he was a firm believer in multilateralism and "Kashmir is an example of a situation where one might not find a solution without mediation".

Briefing reporters about his meeting with national security adviser Shivshankar Menon, Stubb said he had the opportunity to hear India's "Pak-Af" view of the Afghanistan conflict, as against the "Af-Pak" approach of the West.

"I spoke to the NSA. I would take back a more enlightened view of India from this visit. I would also communicate it to the new European foreign minister," he said.