The United States Thursday said it is in constant touch with both Pakistan and India, and urging both capitals to work toward a responsible solution to the crisis over last week’s killings in Kashmir, as tensions continue to soar between the two South Asian nuclear powers.
The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his telephonic conversations with Pakistani and Indian officials underscored the need to work in the interest of long-term peace and security in the region.
Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said President Donald Trump‘s Administration is in constant involvement over the situation.
“This government is in constant communication. We are asking for a responsible resolution from both parties,” she said at the daily briefing.
Bruce was referring to the telephonic talk Rubio had with Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Wednesday.
Echoing U.S. leaders’ condemnation of April 22 terrorist attack that killed 26 Indian tourists in Pahalgam area of disputed Kashmir region, the spokesperson said, “As the President articulated to Prime Minister Modi last week, the United States stands strong with India against terrorism, and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has our full support.”
Bruce said Secretary Rubio “encouraged both countries to work toward a responsible solution … that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia.
“We continue to be in touch with the governments of both countries, as I mentioned, at multiple levels.”
Pakistan and India both claim the strategic Jammu and Kashmir region as their in entirety.
However, both control parts of the Himalayan region, which has been a battlefield between the two nuclear powers.
New Delhi has claimed that the terror perpetrators had links to Pakistan. Islamabad has denied the allegation and accused India of sponsoring insurgency in its southwestern Balochistan province.
Meanwhile, both countries have closed their airspace to each other. India has suspended a key water sharing treaty that distributes water flowing downstream from Jammu and Kashmir to both countries.
