Kashmir is bilateral issue, but US ready to assist: Clarification after MEA rebuts Trump's 'Modi asked to mediate' claim
Hours after India categorically called out Trump's claim that PM Modi has asked him to be a mediator in the Kashmir issue, the US State Department remained in damage control mode.
Hours after India categorically called out Trump's claim that PM Modi has asked him to be a mediator in the Kashmir issue, the US State Department remained in damage control mode.
While the official readout of the interaction has no mention of Imran Khan and Trump discussing about the Kashmir issue, a tweet later from one of the handles operated by the US State Department tried to clean up the big diplomatic mess which Trump had created by his random words.
The 'Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs' tweeted:
They said, "While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes #Pakistan and #India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist." This tweet signed by Acting Assistant Secretary Alice Wells tried to pivot from the stance taken by Trump. It sought to make it clear that Kashmir is a bilateral dispute between India and Pakistan and US is ready to assist. It had no reference to Trump's claim that PM Modi has asked him to mediate in the issue, and he is willing to take up the challenge.
US Congressman Eliot L Engel, Chairman of House Committee on Foreign Affairs today called Harsh Vardhan Shringla Indian Ambassador to US & said, "I support dialogue b/w India & Pakistan on Kashmir dispute, but dialogue’s pace & scope can only be determined by India & Pakistan."
The Trump administration has launched a damage control exercise after the President's remarks about mediation on Kashmir, with the State Department on Tuesday saying it was a "bilateral" issue between India and Pakistan, and the US "welcomes" the two countries "sitting down" for talks.
It also said Pakistan taking "sustained and irreversible" steps against terrorism is key to a successful dialogue with India. "While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist," a State Department spokesperson told PTI in response to a question if Trump's remarks reflect a change in the country's policy on Kashmir.
With PTI Inputs