Washington, October 1: India’s unprecedented decision of abrogating Article 370 has erked Pakistan who has been trying its level best to demean India by falsely propagating violence in Kashmir. While United States extended its offer on mediating the matter, India remained firm on not entertaining any third-party mediation. Reiterating its stand once again, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar categorically rejected any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir.
Speaking to the reporters at an event, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India's stand has been clear for decades and the two countries can discuss the issue bilaterally. When asked about US President Donald Trump's mediation remarks on Kashmir, EAM Jaishankar said, “India has been clear for 40 odd years that we would not accept mediation... and that whatever has to be discussed has to be discussed bilaterally.”
Trump in the recent past has offered mediation between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
EAM Jaishankar added, “I'm clearing in my mind as far as I'm concerned. That's what it's about. My point is very simple. Whose issue (is this?). Mine. Who has to take the call? Me. If it is my issue and I have to take the call; I will decide whether I want somebody's mediation or not. You can offer anything you like, but if I decide it is not relevant to me then it does not happen.”
Most of the leaders were focused on the bilateral relations, he said, adding that even those who raised it, it was not necessarily the first issue of interest to them. EAM Jaishankar said he apprised the leaders about what was happening and why it was happening in Kashmir.
The External Affairs Minister said that in many cases a lot of what he said was new to them. He explained saying, “When you explain to them that Article 370 was temporary, when you tell them that it was part of the Constitution of India in which delegates from Jammu and Kashmir also took part, when you tell them that there was a provision within the Article for the modification which took place, and you explain to them that today major source of concern was the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is really not aligned with the rest of India on a whole set of issues and so therefore, how do you really run a country where one large state is misaligned with rest of the country. It's a very basic governance issue which people have ducked in the past. But because they ducked in the past doesn't mean that everybody keeps ducking in the future. I think, once you walked them (world leaders) through this, most of them understood it and got it,” he said.