US Prez Donald Trump back off; asserts mediation of Kashmir offer is not on the table anymore

News Bharati    13-Aug-2019
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Washington, August 13: Shutting all doors, India proved it loud and clear that Kashmir is an integral part and an internal matter with esteem priority as it scrapped special status given to Jammu and Kashmir. With United States attempting to interfere as a mediator between India and Pakistan, it has been noted that, US President Donald Trump has made it clear that his offer of mediation on Kashmir is not on the table anymore.

India's Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, said that America's decades-old policy on Kashmir has been no mediation but to encourage India and Pakistan to resolve their differences bilaterally. Speaking to the media, Shringla said, “President Trump has made it very clear that his offer to mediate on Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on both India and Pakistan accepting it. Since India has not accepted the offer of mediation, he has made it clear that this is not on the table anymore.”

On July 22, during his joint media appearance with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House, President Trump stunned India by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought his mediation or arbitration on the Kashmir issue.

India asserted that no such request was made by Prime Minister Modi to the US president and all issues will have to be resolved with Islamabad bilaterally. A week later, President Trump said he would ‘certainly intervene’ between India and Pakistan on Kashmir if they wanted him to. He said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue but he was ready to assist if the two South Asian neighbours wanted him to help in resolving the issue.

India made it clear to America that any discussion on the issue, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally. Shringla said that America's policy on Kashmir has been no mediation but to encourage the two South Asian neighbours to resolve their differences bilaterally including Kashmir, the pace and scope of which would be chosen by New Delhi and Islamabad.

That has been the United States longstanding policy, he said in response to a question referring to America's decades-old policy.