Trump Backs Off on Offer to Mediate Between India and Pakistan

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump refrained from repeating his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and said both countries can resolve differences bilaterally.

“I’m here. I have a good relations with both. If there’s any reason, but I think that they can do it themselves. They’ve been doing it for a long time,” Trump told reporters on the sidelines of Group of Seven leaders’ summit in the French resort town of Biarrtiz when asked if the offer for mediation was on the table.

The president offered no comment on India’s decision to scrap autonomy in the state of Jammu and Kashmir where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has imposed severe restrictions on movement and communications since Aug. 5. India had rebuffed President Trump’s offer last month to intervene between the south Asian nations, which have long-running tensions centering on Kashmir, an area that’s claimed in full -- and ruled in part -- by both.

“We spoke last night about Kashmir,” Trump told reporters as he sat next to Modi. “The prime minister really feels he has it under control.”

Pakistan has tried to focus international attention on India’s sudden move to scrap Kashmir’s autonomy after detaining local political leaders. New Delhi has defended the move that’s given the federal government complete control over the state’s local police machinery as one of internal governance.

India doesn’t want to “trouble any nation” over issues with Pakistan, Modi said Monday. “I believe that India and Pakistan, which were one before 1947 can together discuss our problems and find solutions for them.”

In a televised speech on Monday evening, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed to raise India’s actions internationaly. “India has played its last card, now it’s our turn,” Khan said, vowing to highlight the issue in his speech to the United Nations meeting on September 27, and with the world leaders as Kashmir’s ambassador. “Not just the Kashmiris, but Muslims all over the world are looking at super powers for help,” he said.

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