India on Monday rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested him to help with the Kashmir issue.
“We have seen US President Donald Trump’s remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM Narendra Modi to US President. It has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pak would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement&the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India&Pakistan bilaterally,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
We have seen @POTUS's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President. It has been India's consistent position…1/2
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019
Trump, who is known to make inaccurate statements, claimed that Prime Minister Modi asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue.
“If I can help, I would love to be a mediator. If I can do anything to help, let me know,” Trump said in response to a question.
Trump said that he is ready to help, if the two countries ask for it. India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by Pakistan-based terrorists, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.
Trump claimed that Modi and he discussed the issue of Kashmir in Osaka, Japan on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit last month, where the Indian prime minister made an offer of a third-party arbitration on Kashmir.
“I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject (Kashmir). And he actually said, ‘would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator?’ I said, ‘where?’ (Modi said) ‘Kashmir’,” Trump said.
“Because this has been going on for many, many years. I am surprised that how long. It has been going on (for long),” he said, with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan responding 70 years.
“I think they (Indians) would like to see it resolved. I think you would like to see it resolved. And if I can help, I would love to be a mediator. It should be….we have two incredible countries that are very, very smart with very smart leadership, (and they) can’t solve a problem like that. But if you would want me to mediate or arbitrate, I would be willing to do that,” Trump said.
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