Our Focus Remains On Direct Talks Between India-Pakistan, Says US State Department

<p><strong>New York/Washington, May 16 (PTI):</strong> The US wants to encourage and see “direct” talks between India and Pakistan, the State Department has said, a reversal from President Donald Trump’s earlier comment that he will work with the two countries for a &ldquo;solution&rdquo; on Kashmir.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Well, look, what we&rsquo;re happy to see is a ceasefire. That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ve said for the last couple of days now, and we want to encourage and see direct talks between the parties. We have been clear on that,&rdquo; State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said at the press briefing Thursday.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Taking a step back, the President is a peacemaker, and we celebrate the advancement of peace, and we&rsquo;d hope to see the ceasefire be maintained. And the President has also been clear in terms of the praise that he has given both prime ministers of both countries for the wisdom and the fortitude that they showed by choosing the path of peace,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.</p>
<p>Trump has repeatedly claimed that the US brokered the &ldquo;ceasefire&rdquo; between New Delhi and Islamabad.</p>
<p>Indian government sources in New Delhi have been maintaining that the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect. They said no third party was involved.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Well, again, what we are happy to see is a ceasefire, and that&rsquo;s where our focus remains, the direct talks we want to see. And again, the President has been clear, praising both prime ministers for choosing the path of peace,&rdquo; Pigott said, responding to another question.</p>
<p>Trump on May 10 said that he would work with India and Pakistan for a &ldquo;solution” on Kashmir, adding that he is &ldquo;proud&rdquo; Washington was able to &ldquo;help&rdquo; the countries arrive at the &ldquo;historic and heroic decision&rdquo; of a ceasefire.</p>
<p>India has always maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter and there is no space for any third party. India asserts that the Union Territory of Jammu &amp; Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh are and always will be integral and inalienable parts of it.</p>
<p><em><strong>(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)</strong></em></p>