US urges India, Pakistan to find solution to Kashmir issue

WASHINGTON: After the recent tensions between India and Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC), the United States on Thursday urged both the countries to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.

Addressing a press briefing, United States Department of State spokesman John Kirby said, “On the Kashmir issue, our position has not changed. We want this to be worked out between both sides”.

He said that the US wants to see the recent tensions between India and Pakistan to be brought down with ‘meaningful dialogue’.

Kirby said that he wasn't aware of any bill against Pakistan in the US Congress and hoped the current tensions between both countries would fade, stating that terrorism would be harmful to the entire region.

“We’re going to continue to work with Pakistan, with Afghanistan, and the Secretary just came back from Brussels and the Afghanistan conference in Brussels”.

He said, “We’ve always said that more can be done about the safe havens and that’s – we’re going to, again, try to work as cooperatively as we can to that end”.

To a question on Pakistan nuclear weapons, he expressed confidence on Pakistan’s security. “We’re confident that Pakistan has the security controls they need to have in place on their arsenal”.