Donald Trump says PM Modi asked him to mediate in Kashmir dispute, India denies

United States President Donald Trump left India stunned when he offered to mediate in Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. He further claimed that PM Narendra Modi has asked him to do so. This was during Trump’s meet with Pakistan PM Imran Khan in White House in Washington DC on Monday.

Trump told Imran Khan,”If I can help in the Kashmir issue, I will help,” Trump said during the meeting. “If I could mediate in the Kashmir issue, I would love to help. I would love to come to Pakistan if invited as we both our countries can play an important role in Kashmir dispute.”

#WATCH Washington DC: Pakistan PM Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump reply to journalists when asked on Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/UM51rbsIYF

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2019

Imran Khan reportedly accepted Trump’s offer and said, “Yes, it would be in the benefit of billions of people if you do so to solve the long dispute between the two countries.”

Reacting to Trump’s claim External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “We have seen President Trump’s remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate if requested by India and Pakistan, on the Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by Prime Minister to the US President. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan bilaterally.”

We have seen @POTUS‘s remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President. It has been India’s consistent position…1/2

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019

…that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement & the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally.2/2

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019

Moments after Donald Trump’s statement, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that Donald Trump had no clue about what he was talking about.

I honestly don’t think Trump has the slightest idea of what he’s talking about. He has either not been briefed or not understood what Modi was saying or what India’s position is on 3rd-party mediation. That said, MEA should clarify that Delhi has never sought his intercession. https://t.co/DxRpNu6vw2

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 22, 2019

Trump and Modi had met last month on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan. It was earlier reported that the two had focused on trade; Iran and 5G during the bilateral meet.

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