'Kashmir issue will be discussed bilaterally only’, MEA staunchly denies Trump’s remark over mediation between India-Pakistan

New Delhi, July 23: Reiterating its robust, long held position that Kashmir issue is to be discussed bilaterally between India and Pakistan, India in a strong negation to the US President Donald Trump denied his claims to mediate in Kashmir issue, further clearing straight that no such request had been made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Trump.

 

“We have seen Trump’s remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM Modi to US President”, the Ministry of External Affairs said in its official statement.

 

 

“It has been India's consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism”, it noted further adding that the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration provided the basis to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan bilaterally.

This is after US President Donald Trump on Monday offered to mediate in the decades long Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, signaling a shift in long standing US policy that the issue must be solved bilaterally. "If I can help, I would love to be a mediator. If I can do anything to help, let me know”, said Trump at the White House while hosting Pakistan PM Imran Khan.

 

Further, being delusive, Trump while talking to Khan said that he was with PM Modi, where he actually asked US to be the mediator or arbitrator in the Kashmir stance. “I think India and Pakistan would like to see this problem resolved at once. And if I can help, I would love to be a mediator”, he added.

 

Kashmir has been divided between both countries and China since the end of British colonial rule in 1947, and remains at the root of tensions between the two nuclear armed South Asian countries.