JK News Today
Jammu, March 10 : The United States is willing to offer its support to India and Pakistan to engage in “ constructive dialogue , meaningful diplomacy between India and Pakistan in the first instance to resolve longstanding conflicts “ It was stated by the State Department spokesperson Ned Price in his daily media briefing in Washington on Thursday , while replying to a question by a Pakistani journalist . Ned Price , however, ruled out mediation between India and Pakistan of its own .
Pakistani journalist Jahanzaib Ali from ARY News had asked why the US doesn’t mediate between its two partners India and Pakistan when many analysts believe that the US had the power and authority to do so. To this Ned Price replied in very categorical terms that the US had no intention to intervene as a mediator between India and Pakistan , as it was for the two countries to decide on the modalities of the ( bilateral dialogue) .
He stated : Because these are decisions for the countries themselves. If they agree on a particular role for the United States, the United States is prepared to, as a partner to both countries, support that process in any way that we responsibly can. But ultimately, it is not for the United States to determine the modalities or the way in which India and Pakistan engage one another. What we support is constructive dialogue, meaningful diplomacy between India and Pakistan in the first instance to resolve longstanding conflicts.”
This is a clear cut explanation that the United States , aware of the sensitivities involved in the Indo-Pak relations , would tread a cautious path . The US is not eager to don the role of a mediator but it is not shy of playing any supportive role in the dialogue between Delhi and Islamabad if the two countries wish so .In fact, there have been demands from Pakistan that the “ US should intervene and mediate between India and Pakistan in resolving the longstanding issue of Kashmir between the two countries.” But , India , for long , has rejected any third party mediation in addressing the Kashmir issue . It is persistent in asking Pakistan to stop its anti-India terror network permanently if it wants any talks on the bilateral issues , there, however, is a change that India doesn’t wat to talk about Jammu and Kashmir on its side of the Line of Control.
Since the abolition of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir , and its split into two union territories of Ladakh and J&K , India has claimed that it has addressed and settled the Kashmir issue once and for all , and the only issue that remains is , how to integrate the parts of Kashmir under the illegal occupation of Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir . “ PoJK – Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India,” is the stated stand of Delhi, which it reiterates time and again .
The full text of Price’s reply makes things clear : “: I will speak to the message we sent to both India and Pakistan. We support constructive dialogue. We support diplomacy between India and Pakistan to resolve, again, another set of longstanding disputes. We are a partner. We are willing to support that process in any way that they deem appropriate, but ultimately these are decisions that India and Pakistan themselves are going to have to make.”
