NEW DELHI – Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveys importantmessage to US counterpart over Kashmir issue mediation and talks withPakistan.

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Friday conveyed to the US thatany discussion on Kashmir will be done only with Pakistan and bilaterally.

His response comes after US President Donald Trump ruffled feathers withhis claim that PM Narendra Modi had asked him to mediate in the Kashmirissue when the two leaders met “weeks ago” on the sidelines of G20 Summit.He said this during a joint press brief with Pakistan Prime Minister ImranKhan in Washington on July 22.

Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday morning on thesidelines of the second day of 9th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers meetin Bangkok, Thailand, in the first official meet between the two nationsafter Trump’s comment.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar tweeted, “Have conveyed to Americancounterpart Mike Pompeo this morning in clear terms that any discussion onKashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and onlybilaterally.”