The Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, while speaking in parliament on Tuesday, July 23, denied the claim that the PM had requested Trump to be a mediator between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir Issue.
“I would like to categorically state that no such request has been made by the Prime Minister to the US President,” Jaishankar said.
Trump On Being Mediator Between India and Pakistan
On Monday (22 July, 2019), the US President Donald Trump, during Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the White House, touched upon a highly contentious issue of conflict between India and Pakistan.
Trump, commenting on the Kashmir issue, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi have requested him to act as a mediator in resolving the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan.
“I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago, and we talked about the subject. And he actually said, ‘would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator’, and I said ‘where?’, and he said ‘Kashmir’,” said Trump.
US Congressmen Say Trump’s Comment Is ‘Amateurish’
Trump’s comment on India was not just against India’s diplomatic stance but also unsettled many of the US congressmen.
Reiterating the fact that the US has always respected India’s bilateral stance on the Kashmir issue, Democratic Congressman Brad Sherman, said, “Everyone who knows anything about foreign policy in South Asia knows that #India consistently opposes third-party mediation on Kashmir. Everyone knows PM Modi would never suggest such a thing. Trump’s statement is amateurish and delusional. And embarrassing.”
Congressman George Holding and Congressman Brad Sherman, in a joint statement, stated that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. Both Congressman Brad and Holding are Co-Chairs of Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
“Consistent with decades of US policy, we believe the dispute over Kashmir must be resolved bilaterally by India and Pakistan. The Republic of India is one of America’s closest and most important allies, and we look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi and Indian officials to combat terrorism and extremism throughout the region,” said lawmakers in the joint statement.
Many Unsettled In India
Nevertheless, it unsettled many in India as well, several leaders questioned whether Modi had really made such request to Trump. New Delhi was quick to deny the claim that Modi had made any request for third party intervention from the US.
Soon after Trump’s statement, Raveesh Kumar, the spokesperson for the MEA, denying the claim, tweeted, “It has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.”
…that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement & the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally.2/2
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019
Following Jaishankar’s statement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, taking to Twitter, urged the PM to tell the nation that what actually happened during the meeting.
President Trump says PM Modi asked him to mediate between India & Pakistan on Kashmir!
If true, PM Modi has betrayed India’s interests & 1972 Shimla Agreement.
A weak Foreign Ministry denial won’t do. PM must tell the nation what transpired in the meeting between him & @POTUS
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 23, 2019
Also Read: Centre Allocates Rs 3,700 Crores To Enhance Local Governance In Jammu And Kashmir
