Trump had a meeting for mediation between the two nuclear powers

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NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan are at severe odds over Kashmir right now. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, adding that he would do anything he can to settle the issue between the two countries.

President Trump had a “very productive conversation” the leaders of India and Pakistan on the margins of the UN General Assembly. “Concerning Pakistan and India, we talked about Kashmir. Whatever help I can be, I said, I offered, whether it’s arbitration or mediation or whatever it has to be,” he added.

“You look at the two gentlemen heading those two countries… two good friends of mine. I said, fellows work it out, work it out. Those are two nuclear countries, got to work it out.”

President Donald Trump has repeatedly offered mediation between India and Pakistan, an offer that New Delhi has firmly rejected every time, justifying its stand that it’s a bilateral issue and there is no need for third-party intervention.

“I think as far as Pakistan is concerned, India, they’re talking, I’m certainly willing to help. I think they would in a certain way like my help. But they’ve to both want it. They have very different views, and I’m concerned about it,” Mr Trump said on Tuesday after he met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The first offer of negotiation on Kashmir also came when he was addressing the media along with Imran Khan in July.

On the arbitration offer, India responded curtly, saying its position – that there can be no third-party mediation – is known.

“There is no change in that position”, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said this morning, responding to Mr Trump’s latest remarks. “I think it has been articulated by Prime Minister earlier. It was articulated yesterday by the foreign secretary so that position remains,” he said.