New Delhi: Liting up the flames of Kashmir again, US President Donald Trump on Thursday said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue but he was ready to assist if the two countries wanted him to help in resolving the decades-old dispute.
Donald Trump was referring to his last week's meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, wherein he offered to help to resolve the Kashmir issue. India has refuted the offer making it clear that there can't be any third-party intervention on the issue. However, Pakistan welcomed it.
On being asked by reporters on India not accepting his offer of mediation on Kashmir, Trump said, "It is really up to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi (to accept the offer of mediation)."
"Have they accepted the offer or not?", Trump sought clarification when asked about India's rejection of his mediation offer.
"I think they are fantastic people - (Imran) Khan and (Narendra) Modi - I mean, I would imagine they could get along very well, but if they wanted somebody to intervene, to help them.... and I spoke with Pakistan about that and I spoke frankly in (sic) India about it," Donald Trump said.
He said that the issue of Kashmir had been going on for a long time.
Also Read: Gujarat Floods: Crocodile takes over Vadodara road, almost eats up dog, Video Inside
When asked how would he "want to resolve the Kashmir issue", Donald Trump said, "If I can, if they wanted me to, I would certainly intervene."
Last week, in his joint media appearance with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office, Donald Trump stunned India by claiming that Prime Minister Modi sought his mediation/arbitration on the Kashmir issue.
Donald Trump claimed that PM Modi had asked for this during their bilateral meeting in Japan in June on the sideline of the G-20 Summit.
India almost immediately denied the claim and made it clear that the Kashmir issue was never discussed between PM Modi and Donald Trump.