India denies Trump ′mediator′ role in Kashmir conflict | News | DW | 23.07.2019

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India denies Trump 'mediator' role in Kashmir conflict

Indian officials have told angry opposition lawmakers that the government had not invited Donald Trump to mediate the conflict. A day before, the US president had made the offer, saying: "I would love to be a mediator."

Kashmiri nomads wait for transport on a hilltop on the outskirts of Srinagar

The Indian government on Tuesday denied it had ever shifted its policy on the disputed region of Kashmir.

"The US president made certain remarks to the effect he was ready to mediate if requested by Indian and Pakistan," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar told furious opposition lawmakers in parliament.

A day earlier, US President Donald Trump suggested that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited him to mediate the decadeslong conflict between India and Pakistan.

"I categorically assure the house that no such request has been made by the prime minister — I repeat — no such request was made," Jaishankar said.

Read more: Pakistan shows off military might after Kashmir dispute with India 

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar gestures

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar was nearly drowned out by opposition lawmakers

Trump: 'Anything to help'

Earlier this week, Trump hosted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has sought international assistance to resolve the deadly conflict.

"If I can help, I would love to be a mediator," Trump said while seated next to Khan. "If I can do anything to help, let me know."

But Trump's offer undermined decades of US foreign policy that only the conflict's parties should end the territorial dispute.

Read more: 'Pakistan needs to tackle extremism for its own sake' 

Clarifying US positions

Shortly after the press conference, the US State Department said that a sustainable solution to the conflict could only come from dialogue between India and Pakistan.

"While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist," the State Department said.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule, two of which have centered on the disputed Kashmir region.

Read more: Will democracy take hold in Pakistan's restive tribal areas?

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    The real Kashmir

    Multicultural

    Kashmir has been well-known for its cultural and linguistic diversity. The Kashmir Valley has a Muslim majority. Hindus are predominant in Jammu while Ladakh is primarily Buddhist. But interminable violence has damaged the very fabric of society.

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    The real Kashmir

    Saffron

    Kashmir is also famous for its saffron. India is the third largest exporter of saffron following Iran and Spain.

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    The real Kashmir

    'Switzerland of the East'

    Kashmir boasts some of the world's most beautiful flowering meadows and snow-capped peaks. Many people call it "The Switzerland of the East." Almost 1.1 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2014.

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    The real Kashmir

    Snow-white Kashmir

    Kashmir wears pure white in winter. Many areas are perfect for winter sports but lack infrastructure. Islamist violence remains the biggest challenge.

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    The real Kashmir

    Rivers

    The Himalayan part of Kashmir is the source of fresh water for more than 20 rivers, among which the Indus, Neelum and Ravi are the biggest. All these rivers flow from India into Pakistan.

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    The real Kashmir

    Wood

    Kashmir is also famous for its wood, the Kashmir willow. Experts believe that it is the best wood for making a cricket bat. Kashmiri wood is also used for building boats.

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    The real Kashmir

    Sufism

    Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam, reached Kashmir in the 16th century. Sufi tradition is associated with religious harmony. Many of the saints held dear by Kashmiris were Sufi monks. Sufi singers such as Abida Parveen are popular to this day.

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    The real Kashmir

    Kashmir on the silver screen

    Kashmir used to be the most popular location of the Indian film industry during the 1980s. It was a golden era for Kashmir. However, the valley has been witnessing violence on an almost daily basis ever since. Nowadays, only one or two films are shot on location in Kashmir every year.

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    The real Kashmir

    Fighting in the clouds

    The Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan has been going on 1948, and experts see little hope of a solution in the foreseeable future. Both countries spend lots of resources on their half of the divided territory, with their respective armies squared off on what some view as the highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen glacier (5,753m).

    Author: Onkar Singh Janoti / ac


ls/amp (AFP, Reuters)

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