ISLAMABAD – United States President Donald Trump will likely urge India tomaintain peace along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and reduce thetensions with nuclear-armed rival Pakistan, reported *APP*.
Trump arrives in New Delhi early Monday for a two-day visit that aims toboost strategic partnership between the two nations.
In his maiden trip to the country, US president and wife Melania willtravel to Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat to attend an event at astadium along the lines of the “Howdy Modi” extravaganza held in Houstonlast September during which the two leaders made a joint appearance.
Briefing the media about the trip, a senior Trump administration officialsaid the president would encourage a reduction in tensions and urgebilateral dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.
“I think the President will urge both countries to seek to maintain peaceand stability along the line of control and refrain from actions orstatements that could increase tensions in the region.”
When asked if Trump would offer to mediate over Kashmir conflict, theofficial said: “I think what you’ll hear from the President is very muchencouraging a reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan, encouragingthe two countries to engage in bilateral dialogue with each other toresolve their differences.”
An air strike by Indian warplanes inside Pakistan in February 2019, and asubsequent retaliatory attack by the Pakistani air force, pushed thenuclear-armed neighbors to the brink of another war.
The Indo-Pak tensions escalated when the Hindu nationalist governmentstripped the occupied Himalayan region of semi-autonomy in August 2019,jailed its political leadership and imposed a communications blackout.
India’s actions evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, the internationalcommunity and human rights organisations.
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Although the United Nations and Trump himself has offered to mediate on theKashmir issue, India has rejected the offers stressing that the issue isbilateral.
*Minority rights*
The president would also raise US concerns over the military lockdown inthe Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir region as well as minority rights inthe South Asian country.
Modi’s government has faced large scale-protests at home and criticismabroad for enacting a citizenship law that is seen as discriminatingagainst Muslims and has deepened concerns his administration in underminingIndia’s secular traditions.
Trump will talk about the two countries’ shared traditions of democracy andreligious freedom, the senior administration official said in a conferencecall on Friday ahead of the two-trip.
“He will raise these issues, particularly the religious freedom issue,which is extremely important to this administration,” the official said.
