India's Jaishankar turns down third-party mediation on Kashmir

WASHINGTON: India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has rejected the idea of third-party mediation between Pakistan and India on occupied Kashmir, stating that India’s stance on the issue has been clear for decades, reported Times of India.

"India has been clear for 40 odd years that we would not accept mediation... and that whatever has to be discussed bilaterally,” said Jaishankar, while talking to a group of Indian reporters after landing in Washington.

US President Donald Trump had brought up his offer to mediate between the two nuclear-armed countries on multiple occasions on the sidelines of the UNGA session in New York.

The Indian publication also reported that Jaishankar had said that India’s decision on the abolition of Article 370 also came up in most meetings he held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

Responding to a question about Turkey and Malaysia’s stance on Kashmir, the Indian minister claimed that the two countries have been given an understanding which is different from the facts on the ground.