India has made it clear there is no role for a third party
US President Donald Trump has said that he would discuss with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the situation in Kashmir and help ease the India-Pak tensions when they meet at the G7 Summit in France this weekend. But New Delhi has made it clear to the US that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and there was no role for a third party.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday while welcoming visiting Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Trump said he was happy to try and help calm the situation in Kashmir amidst fresh India-Pak tensions after India revoked the special status of Jammu & Kashmir.
Trump’s comments to a question on the tension between India and Pakistan came a day after he made separate phone calls to Prime Minister Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Trump said he was happy to try and help calm the situation in Kashmir. “I’m going to be with Prime Minister Modi. I’ll be with him over the weekend in France,” Trump said, referring to the G7 Summit in Biarritz during the weekend.
“Pakistan Prime Minister (Imran) Khan was here just recently. I get along really well with both of them,” he said.
“Kashmir is a very tough situation,” Trump said, noting that India and Pakistan were using howitzers and heavy arms.
“And it’s been going on for a long period of time,” he said.
“So, you know, I think were helping the situation. But there’s tremendous problems between those two countries. And I will do the best I can to mediate or do something. Great relationship with both of them, but they are not exactly friends at this moment. Complicated situation,” he said.
“Frankly, it’s a very explosive situation. I spoke to Prime Minister Khan yesterday also with Prime Minister Modi. They’re both friends of mine. They’re great people. They’re great people, and they love their country,” Trump said.
Trump said that the subcontinent is having “these talks for hundreds (sic) of years, even under different names,” he said, apparently referring to the breakdown of bilateral talks between India and Pakistan. Trump also said religion was one of the main reasons for uneasy ties between India and Pakistan.
“A lot has to do with religion. Religion is a complicated subject,” he said. “You have the Hindus. And you have the Muslims. I wouldn’t say they get along so great. That’s what you have right now,” he said.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu & Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan.
India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu & Kashmir was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.