Published 09:47 IST, August 2nd 2019
Jaishankar tells Mike Pompeo to stay out; 'Kashmir discussion, if warranted, only with Pakistan,' US & Trump told
Foreign minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday in Bangkok and stated India's stance on Kashmir
Foreign minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday in Bangkok. This was the first high level meeting after US president Donald Trump lied that PM Modi had asked him to mediate and his eventual U-turn that Ãf both the countries want, then will intervene'. Informing about the meet, Jaishankar clarified that India has cleary expressed its stand. He said that he has told his counterpart that the talks between India Pak on kashmir will only happen bilaterally.
Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Bangkok starting Thursday to participate in the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting, 26th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and 10th Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Ministerial Meeting. A statement released by the ministry said that during the two-day visit, Jaishankar will "enumerate India's Indo-Pacific vision, which was elaborated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2018," and will also meet the new British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab and discuss safety of Indians in the Iran-held UK Ship.
Trump's lie on Kashmir:
Last week, in a meeting with Pakistan PM Imran Khan at the Oval Office, the US President claimed that he was asked by PM Modi to do mediate between the two neighbouring countries over the long-going issue of Kashmir. Trump further expressed his willingness to be the mediator in the matter. However, Trump's claims have been rejected from all quarters. The Ministry of External Affairs released a statement rejecting a third-party mediation in Kashmir issue. MEA also clarified that "no such request was made by PM Modi to the US President during the recently-concluded G20 Summit when the Prime Minister and US President held meetings. The statement further reiterated India's stand on Pakistan.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar refuted that PM Modi ever made that request in his fiery speech in the Parliament. "We heard remarks by President Donald Trump in a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan, to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan, on Kashmir issue," he said in a statement to the Inidan Parliament.
Trump's lie exposed:
Referring to his last week's meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, wherein he offered to help resolve the Kashmir issue, Trump on Thursday in his press meet expressed his desire to 'help' but India had categorically rejected his claim that the Indian PM approached him for help and that New Delhi will not include any external mediation in solving the Kashmir problem as underscored in the Simla Declaration.
"It's really up to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi (to accept the offer of mediation)," Trump told reporters responding to a question on India not accepting his offer of mediation on Kashmir."Have they accepted the offer or not?", Trump sought a clarification when asked about India's rejection of his mediation offer.
Trump unabashedly said that "I think they are fantastic people Khan and Modi -- I mean. I would imagine they could get along very well, but if they wanted somebody to intervene, to help them. and I spoke with Pakistan about that and I spoke frankly in (sic) India about it," Trump said. When asked how would he "want to resolve the Kashmir issue", Trump said, "If I can, if they wanted me to, I would certainly intervene."
Updated 11:27 IST, August 2nd 2019