Donald Trump floats Kashmir mediation offer, second time in 24 hours

Trump is set to meet PM Modi for their bilateral meet.

Barely hours before heading into a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan and lamented that the two countries hadn’t agreed to his suggestion.

India hasn’t reacted to his earlier mediation offer except to underscore that New Delhi’s position was rather well known. (Reuters image)

Trump said he was certainly willing to help to get the two countries talking and the two neighbours would “in a certain way like my help”.

“But they have to both want it. They have very different views and I am concerned about it,” the US President said minutes before his UNGA speech. He is to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after.

India hasn’t reacted to his earlier mediation offer except to underscore that New Delhi’s position was rather well known. Top foreign ministry officials had also pointed to PM Modi’s scheduled meeting with Donald Trump and asked reporters to “hold on” till then.

Tuesday’s offer by Trump is the second in 24 hours, the fourth this year.

At the last one made with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan by his side, Trump had stressed that he wanted to help “if both India and Pakistan would want to do that. It’s a complex issue, but if both want it, I would be willing to do that,” he added.