Face of Nation : Prime Minister Narendra Modi made no request to US President Donald Trump to mediate on the Kashmir issue with Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Rajya Sabha Tuesday amid a massive controversy over the US leader’s claim.
He said all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan can be discussed only bilaterally. “I would like to categorically state that no such request has been made by the Prime Minister to the US President,” he said after Congress and other opposition parties raised the issue in the House. US President Donald Trump had on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Modi had asked him to play the role of a mediator on Kashmir.
The minister said it has been the consistent position of India that all outstanding issues with Pakistan can be discussed only bilaterally. “Any engagement with Pakistan will require end to cross border terrorism,” he said, adding Shimla and Lahore accords provide the basis for resolution of all issues bilaterally.
Opposition parties were, however, not satisfied by the statement of the External Affairs Minister and wanted the Prime Minister to come to the House and clarify. This led to heated exchange between opposition benches and the Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who adjourned proceedings.
The statement forced the United States to jump into damage control, with several lawmakers calling Trump’s statement ‘amateurish and embarrassing’. However, buoyed by US President’s offer, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that the contentious issue between the two South Asian neighbours can never be resolved bilaterally.
“There was one point when there was General (Pervez) Musharraf and Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee of India when we did get close to the resolution of the Kashmiri issue. But since then we are poles apart and I really feel that India should come on the table; US could play a big part. President Trump certainly can play a big part,” Khan said hours after he met Trump at his Oval Office for the first time at the White House.
