President Donald Trump has underscored the importance of Pakistan and India ratcheting down their tensions over Kashmir through bilateral dialogue.
“The president conveyed the importance of India and Pakistan reducing tensions through bilateral dialogue regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said about Trump’s telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The conversation took place on Friday, a day of hectic diplomacy at the United Nations where members of the Security Council held consultations on Kashmir in response to Pakistani and Chinese requests.
President Trump’s remarks come as Kashmir remains in lockdown after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to integrate the disputed territory into India without taking into account the aspirations of Kashmiri people.
Islamabad has strongly objected to the move, and PM Khan has called Modi’s policies as fascist.
Regarding Friday’s conversation, the White House said Trump and Khan spoke as a follow-up to their July 22 meeting.
The spokesman said Trump and Khan discussed building on the growing relationship between the United States and Pakistan.
He referred to the momentum created during their July 22 Oval Office meeting.
