Pakistan welcomed US offer of mediation on Kashmir issue

Washington: Pakistan has welcomed the US offer to help de-escalate tensions with India, saying “any positive role” America plays to bring peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well, according to a media report on Monday.

“Any positive role that the US plays to bring peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well,” Chaudhry was quoted as saying in a report by Dawn from Washington.
She hinted that the Trump administration would participate in the talks aimed at resolving differences between India and Pakistan. It was the first time Haley, as a member of the Trump Cabinet, has addressed tensions between India and
Pakistan.

A State Department spokesperson, when contacted by the newspaper, explained the US position on facilitating talks between the two countries.

“We believe India and Pakistan stand to benefit from practical cooperation. We encourage India and Pakistan to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions,” the spokesperson said.

Read: Trump ‘will not wait until something happens between India, Pak’: US envoy

The US official also explained why Washington wanted to promote good Indo-Pak ties. “The normalisation of relations between Pakistan and India is vital to both countries and the region. Steps that initiate closer regional economic ties can also create jobs, lower inflation and increase energy supply,” the official said.

The last sentence of the statement, however, stressed the stated US policy, which is close to India’s stance on this issue, that all differences between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally.

“We have and continue to encourage India and Pakistan to work together to resolve any differences,” the US official said.

India has consistently ruled out third-party mediation, including by the United Nations or the US, and maintained that Kashmir was a bilateral issue. Pakistan, however, welcomes international mediation and regularly raises the Kashmir issue at various UN fora.

Yesterday, India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay snubbed Haley for hinting that the US was ready to mediate. He asked the international community to instead persuade Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorist attacks.