WASHINGTON: The United States continues to view the Kashmir issue as a dispute that needs to be settled by both India and Pakistan, says the US State Department, while distancing itself from India\u2019s claims over Azad Kashmir.
\nIn his Independence Day speech on Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to address the ongoing military oppression in India-held Kashmir.
\nInstead, he accused Islamabad of suppressing the people of Azad Kashmir and Balochistan, saying that \u201cPakistan shall have to answer to the world\u201d for the alleged atrocities committed against the people in these regions.
\nAt a Monday afternoon news briefing, an Indian journalist asked Elizabeth Trudeau, director of the US State Department Press Office, to address Mr Modi\u2019s comments. The journalist also claimed that the people of Azad Kashmir were \u201call Indians,\u201d and said to the State Department official that the \u201ctime has come now to speak out\u201d for those people as they were not allowed to express their views.
\nThe journalist also reminded the State Department official that the Indian prime minister had directed his ministry of foreign affairs to raise this issue at the international level.
\n\u201cI wouldn\u2019t speak on Mr Modi\u2019s comments. That would be for him to speak to,\u201d said Ms Trudeau. \u201cOur position, as you well know, on Kashmir has not changed. The pace, the scope, the character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine.\u201d
\nThe US official also urged Pakistan and India to work jointly to resolve this issue, which Pakistan warns has the potential to lead to yet another war between South Asia\u2019s two nuclear-armed states. \u201cWe support any and all positive steps that India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations,\u201d she said.
\nInstead of addressing the alleged Pakistani atrocities in Azad Kashmir, Ms Trudeau referred to clashes between civilian demonstrators and Indian forces in the Kashmir Valley and encouraged \u201call sides\u201d to seek a peaceful solution.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re aware of the clashes. We remain concerned about the violence, and we encourage all sides to make efforts to finding a peaceful resolution,\u201d she said.
\nNoting that she was referring to clashes in India-held Kashmir, the journalist asked: \u201cIs this the time now for the State Department to look into that part of Kashmir also?\u201d
\n\u201cI would leave our comments on Kashmir where I left them. We do remain concerned about the violence,\u201d Ms Trudeau replied.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON: The United States continues to view the Kashmir issue as a dispute that needs to be settled by both India and Pakistan, says the US State Department, while distancing itself from India\u2019s claims over Azad Kashmir. In his Independence Day speech on Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to address the ongoing military […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n