US President Donald Trump Expresses Interest To Mediate On Kashmir If Asked To

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US President Donald Trump has once again stroked a controversy. He has once again said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute but he was ready to assist if the two South Asian neighbours wanted him to help in resolving the decades-old issue.

His earlier statement rocked Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha when he claimed the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked for this during their bilateral meeting in Japan in June on the sideline of the G-20 Summit.

India quickly denied it and said the Kashmir issue was never discussed between Modi and Trump. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar refuted that Modi ever made that request in a statement  in both the houses of parliament. The opposition wanted Prime Minister  Modi to clarify on the issue.

Trump recently had met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, wherein he offered to help resolve the Kashmir issue. while Pakistan has welcomed his statement.

“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.

“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.