Pakistan

New Delhi rejects China's mediation offer to ease Indo-Pak tensions

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson says central issue between the two countries is cross-border terrorism

News Desk July 13, 2017

In a file photo Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi meet ahead of the UN climate summit in Paris. PHOTO: NNI

In what could be seen as a virtual snub to China for offering to mediate in the long-pending India-Pakistan issue, including Kashmir, the Modi government said on Thursday its stand of bilaterally resolving all matters with Pakistan, including Kashmir, had not changed, The Hindu reported.

An External Affairs Ministry spokesperson told reporters that the central issue between Islamabad and New Delhi was “cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India”.

Terrorism was impacting peace and stability in the entire region, he added.

China willing to play 'constructive role' in improving India-Pakistan relations

The spokesperson came out with the remarks when asked about China expressing its willingness to play a “constructive role” over Kashmir. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comment earlier in the day.

On the standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area, he said diplomatic channels would continue to be used for a resolution of the issue.

Asked about China’s comment that there was no “bilateral meeting” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, he said: “There was a conversation between them. There was a range of issues that was the subject matter of the conversation.”

COMMENTS (5)

Faisal | 7 years ago | Reply @M Ali: Very well said. The whole world knows India's aggression with smaller countries in the region over the last 7 decades: be it Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal or Pakistan. None of India's neighbours like it, except maybe Bhutan.

Nawaz M | 7 years ago | Reply I have one solution. India and Pakistan forget the issue for exactly a decade and officially sign an agreement go back and build your country and use the money spent on Kashmir. I'm sure both countries will turn around to be economically and socially developed.

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M Ali | 7 years ago | Reply Cross border state terrorism started when India sent its troops to Kashmir to illegally and unlawfully annex the territory.Second Indian state cross border terrorism was in East Pakistan(Bangladesh)

Sexton | 7 years ago | Reply We cannot allow a solution for a simple problem such as Kashmir, which has been ongonig for nearly 70 years. If this was America they would blame the Russians. However, it is India and they blame Pakistan.

Faisal | 7 years ago | Reply This is no surprise. The Indians reject ANY country that wants to help resolve the issue and the world knows why: India's deception when it comes to Kashmir will be blatantly exposed if any neutral or 3rd country came in to ask the Kashmiri poeple the root cause of their suffering - barring the handful of Kashmiris who are stooges of Indian govt for personal reasons of holding on to political power and wealth, more than 90% of Kashmiris will easily explain the root cause of their problem, their aspirations and their suggestions on how they can get freedom. When you are guilty, you want to hide the mess and that's what India has been trying to do for the last 70 years. That's why they shut down the internet and phone lines in IOK and that's why foreign journalists from Europe, USA, etc. are not allowed into IOK. But the Indians forget that truth eventually prevails just as it has been since the the dawn of humanity.

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