Will intervene if India, Pak want, says Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute but he was ready to assist if the two South Asian neighbours wanted him to help in resolving the decades-old issue.

Trump was referring to his last week's meeting with Pakistan PM Imran Khan, wherein he offered to help resolve the Kashmir issue.

India has rejected the offer, while Pakistan has welcomed his statement.

"It's really up to PM(Narendra) Modi (to accept the offer of mediation)," Trump told reporters responding to a question on India not accepting his offer of mediation on Kashmir.

"Have they accepted the offer or not?", Trump sought a clarification when asked about India's rejection of his mediation offer.

"I think they are fantastic people – Khan and Modi – I mean. I would imagine they could get along very well, but if they wanted somebody to intervene, to help them…. and I spoke with Pakistan about that and I spoke frankly in (sic) India about it," Trump said.

He rued that the issue of Kashmir had been going on for a long time. When asked how would he "want to resolve the Kashmir issue", Trump said, "If I can, if they wanted me to, I would certainly intervene."

However, India on Friday categorically rejected Trump's offer to act as a mediator between New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve Kashmir issue and reiterated that it is a bilateral issue.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made it clear to his American counterpart Mike Pompeo that any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally.