Fury in India over Trump’s offer to mediate in Kashmir conflict

India’s foreign minister has denied that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Donald Trump to help mediate in the bloody Kashmir conflict with Pakistan.

Trump triggered fury in India after he said on Monday that Modi had asked him to help resolve the dispute over Kashmir, which has been at the heart of two of three wars between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is on his first official visit to Washington, welcomed Trump’s intervention but India’s foreign minister was forced to issue a strenuous denial, adding that there could be no talks until their neighbours ‘ended cross-border terrorism’.

Trump said that he had discussed the Kashmir issue with Modi at the G20 last month in Osaka, Japan. 

Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar, who was part of the Indian delegation at the G20 meeting, told agitated lawmakers in India that Modi did not seek any help from Trump over Kashmir.

Donald Trump (pictured with Pakistan’s Imran Khan) triggered fury in India after claiming that Narendra Modi had asked him to mediate in the long-running Kashmir conflict

‘The U.S. president made certain remarks to the effect he was ready to mediate if requested by India and Pakistan. I categorically assure the house that no such request has been made by the prime minister, I repeat, no such request was made,’ he told parliament.

While Pakistan has often sought third-party mediation in the decades-old dispute which has cost tens of thousands of lives, the idea is anathema to India, which has always insisted the issue can only be resolved bilaterally.

Imran Khan brought up the issue on Monday, telling Trump: ‘There are over 1 billion and a quarter people in the subcontinent. They are held hostage to the issue of Kashmir. And I feel that only the most powerful state headed by President Trump can bring the two countries together.’

In response, Trump said: ‘I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago. He actually said would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator. I said where? He said Kashmir. Because this has been going on for many, many years. I was surprised at how long.

‘I think they’d like to see it resolved and I think you’d like to see it resolved. And if I can help, I would love to be a mediator. It shouldn’t be – I mean it’s impossible to believe, two incredible countries that are very, very smart with very smart leadership can’t solve a problem like that. But if you would want me to mediate arbitrate, I would be willing to do that.’ 

Khan stirred the controversy further by saying Kashmir could only be resolved with outside help.

‘Bilaterally, there will never be (an end to the Kashmir conflict),’ Khan told Fox News, adding that Pakistan and India were ‘poles apart’.

Trump said that he had discussed the Kashmir issue with Modi at the G20 last month in Osaka, Japan (pictured together with Japan's Shinzo Abe)

Trump said that he had discussed the Kashmir issue with Modi at the G20 last month in Osaka, Japan (pictured together with Japan’s Shinzo Abe)

‘I really feel that India should come… (to) the table. The US could play a big part, President Trump certainly can play a big part.’ 

Trump’s comments touched on one of the most sensitive topics for New Delhi.

The Kashmir region is claimed by both Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan and the nuclear-armed neighbours have gone to war two times over the territory since independence in 1947.

Pakistan has long pressed for the implementation of decades-old U.N. resolutions calling for a ballot for the region to decide its future. 

India says the United Nations has no role in Kashmir, where separatist militants have been battling Indian forces for years.

Trump’s comments risked further straining political ties with India which are already under pressure over trade.  

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, July 22, 2019, in Washington

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, July 22, 2019, in Washington

US President Donald Trump wants Pakistan to help with the Afghan peace process. He said he has a plan to win the war in a week but it would result in the deaths of 10 million people

US President Donald Trump wants Pakistan to help with the Afghan peace process. He said he has a plan to win the war in a week but it would result in the deaths of 10 million people

Some US politicians quickly distanced themselves from Trump’s comments.

Brad Sherman, a Democratic Congressman and member of the House foreign affairs committee, said he apologised to the Indian ambassador in Washington for Trump’s statement.

‘Everyone knows PM Modi would never suggest such a thing. Trump’s statement is amateurish and delusional. And embarrassing,’ he tweeted.

The State Department also sought to calm the storm.

‘While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes #Pakistan and #India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist,’ tweeted Alice Wells, the Acting Assistant Secretary of the department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

Kashmir separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said he would support any effort to end the conflict in the region in which tens of thousands have been killed, and the people of Kashmir would welcome Trump’s intervention. 

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019

The topic was raised during Donald Trump’s sat White House meeting with Imran Khan.

The president said he is eager to persuade Pakistan to pressure the Afghan Taliban to agree to a cease-fire and hold direct talks with the Afghan government.

He touted U.S. military capabilities in Afghanistan amid ongoing security tensions – and vowed he would win the Afghan war ‘in a week’ were it not for mass casualty scenarios. 

Trump  vented about the war, which began under the George W. Bush administration: ‘We’ve been there for 19 years in Afghanistan. It’s ridiculous.’

He offered some praise for Pakistan, despite past criticism of the government amid frustration over not doing more to prevent terror attacks. 

Pakistan ‘helps us with that,’ Trump said. Because ‘we don’t want to stay as policemen’ in Afghanistan.

‘Pakistan’s going to help us out to extricate ourselves. We’re like policemen,’ Trump said. 

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump at the start of their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 22, 2019

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump at the start of their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 22, 2019

Trump also offered to mediate the tense situation in Kashmir, which was welcomed by Khan

Trump also offered to mediate the tense situation in Kashmir, which was welcomed by Khan

‘What our leadership got us into is ridiculous,’ he said.

Trump paid both the Pakistani people generally and Khan with a compliment, saying they were ‘tough.’  

‘They’re great people. I have many friends from Pakistan. Living in New York, I have a lot of Pakistani friends, I will tell you that,’ he continued. ‘And they’re great people. Smart, tough. They are tough, there’s no question about that. They’re like him, they’re tough.’ 

Khan also offered laudatory remarks.  

‘This is the longest war that the United States has ever fought,’ Khan said. ‘Anyone who knows the history of Afghanistan … there was always going to be a political settlement at the end,’ he said.

Trump met Monday with Khan for talks centering on Afghanistan as the US seeks a peace accord with the Taliban to end more than 18 years of war.

However, the Afghan government is asking for clarification from Trump after he said a military option could wipe out Afghanistan in the absence of a peaceful resolution. 

Trump said he could win the Afghan war in just 10 days but this would also wipe ‘Afghanistan from the face of the earth.’

President Ashraf Ghani’s office is asking for clarification and says Afghanistan will never ‘allow any foreign power to determine its fate.’

Tuesday’s statement also underlines that cooperation and partnership with the U.S. is based on common interests and mutual respect.

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