By Shuriah Niazi
NEW DELHI (AA) – India Thursday snubbed China for its mediate offer to resolve the Kashmir issue, insisting it is a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.
“We are ready to have a dialogue with Pakistan on Kashmir under a bilateral framework,” said Gopal Baglay, spokesman for Ministry of External Affairs.
On Wednesday, China had said that it is willing to play a “constructive role” in improving relations between India and Pakistan, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control — a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir valley between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the “situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community.”
The comments from China had come at a time when India and China are at loggerheads over a construction of road in Doklam area near northeastern Sikkim state of India.
In a news conference, Gopal Baglay said: “The heart of matter is really the issue of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India including on the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”
He further said diplomatic channels are available to discuss all issues.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday said that Pakistan believes in resolving all issues through dialogue.
“UN chief, the U.S. president, the Chinese leadership and others have offered to play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue,” said Nafees Zakaria, spokesman for Pakistan’s Foreign office.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.
The two countries have fought three wars — in 1948, 1965 and 1971 — since they were partitioned in 1947, two of which were fought over Kashmir. Kashmiri resistance groups in Jammu Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.
More than 70,000 people have reportedly been killed in the conflict since 1989. India maintains more than half a million troops in the disputed region.
