After Pakistan announced that the dialogue process with India remains “suspended”, the US has made the case for the two countries engaging in “direct dialogue” in order to reduce tensions and advance normalisation of relations.
“It has been our longstanding position that India and Pakistan stand to benefit from the normalisation of relations and practical cooperation, and we encourage them to do so, to engage in direct dialogue that’s aimed at reducing tensions between the two Governments and two countries,” State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.
“We strongly support those efforts, because we believe it, obviously, will lead to greater stability and peace in the region and is to the benefit of both countries,” he said while responding to a question on Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit’s remarks that the comprehensive bilateral dialogue process remained “suspended”.
The spokesman also said that the US policy regarding Kashmir remains unchanged and that it is for India and Pakistan to determine the “pace, scope and character” of discussions on this issue.