Kashmir Lockdown Gives Trump Handle to Push for 'Mediation'
- 3 years ago
On August 21, U.S. President Trump once again offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue. This despite the Modi government, and even his own State Department, saying this is a bilateral issue for India and Pakistan.
Trump’s statement expressing his desire to mediate on Kashmir comes two days after Prime Minister Modi held a 30-minute phone call with Trump informing him about incitement of “anti-India violence” in Kashmir by various political leaders, according to an MEA statement.
Trump, for his part, “conveyed the importance of reducing tensions between India and Pakistan and maintaining peace in the region,” the US readout said.
And immediately after calling Modi, Trump also called Prime Minister Imran Khan to convey the same message, and to tell him to dial back his anti-India rhetoric .
Trump’s latest comment suggests efforts by the Indian side – including phone calls from Prime Minister Modi – have done little to dissuade the US president from offering his services as a mediator.
And though the US State Department insists US mediation is possible only if India and Pakistan agree to it, a senior US official did red flag India’s decision to keep hundreds of political leaders under indefinite detention.
Like our work? Click here to support The Wire: https://thewire.in/support
The founding premise of The Wire is this: if good journalism is to survive and thrive, it can only do so by being both editorially and financially independent. This means relying principally on contributions from readers and concerned citizens who have no interest other than to sustain a space for quality journalism. As a publication, The Wire will be firmly committed to the public.
Trump’s statement expressing his desire to mediate on Kashmir comes two days after Prime Minister Modi held a 30-minute phone call with Trump informing him about incitement of “anti-India violence” in Kashmir by various political leaders, according to an MEA statement.
Trump, for his part, “conveyed the importance of reducing tensions between India and Pakistan and maintaining peace in the region,” the US readout said.
And immediately after calling Modi, Trump also called Prime Minister Imran Khan to convey the same message, and to tell him to dial back his anti-India rhetoric .
Trump’s latest comment suggests efforts by the Indian side – including phone calls from Prime Minister Modi – have done little to dissuade the US president from offering his services as a mediator.
And though the US State Department insists US mediation is possible only if India and Pakistan agree to it, a senior US official did red flag India’s decision to keep hundreds of political leaders under indefinite detention.
Like our work? Click here to support The Wire: https://thewire.in/support
The founding premise of The Wire is this: if good journalism is to survive and thrive, it can only do so by being both editorially and financially independent. This means relying principally on contributions from readers and concerned citizens who have no interest other than to sustain a space for quality journalism. As a publication, The Wire will be firmly committed to the public.