Any discussion on Kashmir only with Pak: Jaishankar tells Pompeo

Rejecting any mediation by US President Donald Trump on Kashmir, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday made it clear to his American counterpart Mike Pompeo that any discussion on the issue, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally.

Jaishankar is in the Thailand capital to attend a number ofconferences, including the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting, the 9th East AsiaSummit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 26th ASEAN Regional Forum and the 10thMekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting.

   

“Held wide ranging discussions with @SecPompeo onregional issues,” Jaishankar tweeted.

“Have conveyed to American counterpart @SecPompeo thismorning in clear terms that any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted,will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally,” he said in anothertweet.

Jaishankar met Secretary of State Pompeo on the sidelines ofthe second day of 9th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers meet in Bangkok. Thiswas the first official meeting between the two top officials after PresidentTrump’s controversial comments, offering to mediate between India and Pakistanover the Kashmir issue.

According to State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus,the two leaders discussed “our shared commitment to upholding the rule oflaw, freedom of navigation, and democratic values in the Indo-Pacificregion.”

“The Secretary reaffirmed the positive trajectory ofthe U.S.-India strategic partnership,” Ortagus quoted Pompeo as saying.There was no mention of the Kashmir issue in her statement.

Last month, President Trump offered to be the”mediator” between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue when hemet Prime Minister Imran Khan for the first time at the White House, triggeringa controversy in India.

The Indian government dismissed President Trump’s claim thatPrime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan Prime Minister Khan has said that he is ready andwelcomed such a move by the US on the Kashmir issue.

Trump claimed that Modi and he discussed the issue ofKashmir in Osaka, Japan on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in June, where theIndian prime minister made an offer of a third-party arbitration on Kashmir.

In Parliament, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar saidthat all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan can be discussed onlybilaterally and Prime Minister Modi made no request to President Trump tomediate on the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

“Any engagement with Pakistan will require end to crossborder terrorism,” he had said, adding Simla and Lahore accords providethe basis for resolution of all issues bilaterally. PTI

Pak urges US to “persuade” India to start talks onKashmir

Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi onFriday urged the US to use its “influence” to “persuade”India to start talks on the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

 Qureshi’s remarkscame after US President Donald Trump said Kashmir was a bilateral matterbetween India and Pakistan but he would be happy to mediate if they want him todo so.

The Foreign Minister said India was avoiding the talks anddid not appear willing to negotiate on the matter. “India insists it is abilateral matter, but it is not even willing to come to the table fortalks,” he told Geo News.

“India won’t agree easily to the Kashmir talks. (Weurge) the US to exercise its influence and persuade India (to come to thetable),” he said.Qureshi said he will also write a letter to theUnited Nations chief Antonio Guterres.

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