RNA - The "pace, scope and character" of any discussion on Kashmir is up to Islamabad and New Delhi to decide, media quoted US officials as saying on Saturday, adding, "US policy on Kashmir has not changed".
Recently in one of its statements, the US addressed Kashmir as "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir", and this week it said the "Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir." The White House said, “India-held Kashmir" in another inconsistency.
Kashmir’s fate
The unnamed spokesperson said Pakistan and India were to determine the fate of Kashmir, according to media reports.
“The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations,” he said.
A Trump administration official told reporters last month that the US sought close ties with both countries.
"We seek to have an effective partnership with each country. With India, we’re building that strategic partnership. We see India’s role and influence growing. We like to encourage that trend. So, we’re looking for ways to cooperate on our mutual interests ... With Pakistan, we seek to have a productive partnership working together. But frankly, the priorities are different, and the nature of the relationships are different. So, I think that we would like to move forward with both countries. We realize that the pace and scope of that relationship is going to be different in each case,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
He said US relationships with India and Pakistan were not a zero-sum game for the sides.
“We don’t see a zero-sum relationship when it comes to the US relationship with Pakistan and the US relationship with India,” the official noted.
“While we hope to deepen the relationship with India, we are also interested in continuing our cooperation with Pakistan.”
Kashmir dispute
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir is divided between Pakistan and India.
The residents of the Indian-ruled section of Kashmir despise New Delhi's oppressive and iron-fisted control over the region's Muslim population.
New Delhi has deployed hundreds of thousands of troops to crackdown on opposition.
The international community has condemned Indian forces' crackdown on the voice of dissent and called for a referendum to determine the fate of the region.
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