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Mediation off table as US President Donald Trump says Indian and Pakistan should resolve issues bilaterally

WION
New Delhi, IndiaWritten By: Sidhant SibalUpdated: Aug 17, 2019, 10:03 AM IST
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File photo. Photograph:(Reuters)

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Imran Khan had called Trump on Friday ahead of the United Nations Security Council consultation meetings on how to react to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's letter.

The United States President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between India and Pakistan is off the table as Trump has told Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan that New Delhi and Islamabad have to resolve issues bilaterally. 

Imran Khan had called Trump on Friday ahead of the United Nations Security Council consultation meetings on how to react to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's letter.

Qureshi had earlier written a letter to UNSC president Joanna Wronecka, urging the council to urgently convene a session on India's decision to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir and revoking of Article 370.

A statement from White House Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said, "The President conveyed the importance of India and Pakistan reducing tensions through bilateral dialogue regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir." 

The development comes after the Indian Envoy to the United States, Harsh Shringla in an interview to a private US channel said, "President Trump has made it very clear that his offer to mediate on Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on both India and Pakistan accepting it."

Harsh Shringla further added, "Since India has not accepted the offer of mediation, he has made it clear that this is not on the table anymore."

Last month, Trump, while sitting next to Imran Khan in White House said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for mediation on Kashmir during Trump-Modi bilateral on the sidelines of Osaka G20 summit and he is willing to mediate. He again reiterated the offer in early August.

This was dismissed by the Indian side with Minister of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar saying all bilateral issues between India and Pakistan are governed by Shimla and Lahore agreements under which no third party mediation will be allowed.