US will not mediate between India and Pakistan |
Ahead of the first India visit by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the government of US President Joe Biden has made it clear that the US would not mediate between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir. US acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Dean Thompson, said that the issues between India and Pakistan were `ones for them to work out between themselves`. India has always emphasised that issues between India and Pakistan, particularly on Kashmir, are bilateral. Thompon said the US is pleased to see that the ceasefire that went into place earlier in 2021 has remained intact. The senior US official said Washington will always encourage the two South Asian neighbours to continue their efforts to find ways to build a more stable relationship going forward. This statement is seen positively by India and a shift from some comments made by former US President Donald Trump. The former President himself had offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on more than one occasion. Blinken`s visit will also help to finetune the agenda for the next edition of the 2+2 meeting of foreign and defence ministers that will be hosted in Washington later in 2021.
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