Kashmir bilateral matter, Modi claims as Trump watches
Imran vows to raise issue at every int’l forum
Tuesday, 27 August 2019
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday rejected any possibility of a third party mediating in the Kashmir dispute as it was a bilateral matter for India and Pakistan, report agencies.
Shortly after Modi's comment, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in his address to the nation at Islamabad said that he would continue sensitising the international community on the Kashmir matter.
Modi and Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Biarritz, a town in France. Before the meeting, Trump had said he planned to discuss the Kashmir dispute with Modi at the G-7 summit.
"All the issues between India and Pakistan are of bilateral in nature, and we don't want to trouble any third country," Modi said talking to reporters in presence of Trump.
"We can discuss and resolve these issues bilaterally."
Imran said that he will raise the issue at every international forum, including at the UN General Assembly.
"We have succeeded in internationalising the issue of Kashmir, we talked to world leaders and embassies. UN for the first time since 1965, convened a meeting on Kashmir issue. Even international media has picked it up," Khan said while appealing the 'community' to stand with Kashmiris.
"I will speak at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27 and highlight the Kashmir issue on the world stage," Khan said.
However, Modi said, "If before 1947 we (India and Pakistan) were one country, then I think we can find a solution now too."
"When I had called [Pakistan] Prime Minister Imran Khan after he won elections, I told him that Pakistan has to fight against poverty, illiteracy and other bigger issues, and India has to also fight against it. I told him we should work together for the welfare of our people."
Trump said Modi had told him during discussions last night that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was under control.
"They speak with Pakistan and I am sure that they will be able to do something that will be very good," Trump told reporters.
The two leaders had a "very warm, very positive meeting" lasting 40 minutes, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said later.
Meanwhile, during the meeting with reporters, Trump joked about Modi's use of Hindi for public interactions.