New York: US President Donald Trump, on Tuesday, once again offered to help resolve differences between India and Pakistan, in the fourth offer at mediation which India has strongly opposed so far.
"I think as far as Pakistan is concerned, India, they're talking, I'm certainly willing to help. I think they would in a certain way like my help. But they've to both want it. They have very different views and I'm concerned about it," he told reporters ahead of his address to the UN General Assembly.
#WATCH New York: US President Donald Trump says, "I think as far as Pakistan is concerned, India, their talking, I'm certainly willing to help. I think they would in a certain way like my help. But they've to both want it. They have very different views & I'm concerned about it." pic.twitter.com/Zst6saTWfd
— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2019
The statement comes less than 24 hours after Trump, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan by his side, renewed his offer of arbitration on Kashmir, NDTV reported.
India responded curtly to the offer, saying its position - that there can be no third-party mediation - is known.
The Foreign Ministry urged the media to wait for Tuesday, when President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to meet for talks.
Addressing a joint briefing before his talks with Imran Khan, President Trump said if India and Pakistan wanted him to mediate on Kashmir, he was "ready, willing and able".
"If I can help, I will certainly help... If both (India and Pakistan) want, I am ready to do it... I have very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi. I have very good relationship with Prime Minister Khan... I would be an extremely good arbitrator. I have never failed as an arbitrator," said the US President, despite India rebuffing the suggestion twice before.
His latest offer to mediate came a day after he shared a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at "Howdy, Modi!", a huge public event in Houston.
Trump's first offer also came when he was addressing the media along with Imran Khan in July.
He had then claimed that PM Modi had asked him whether he would like to mediate on Kashmir.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had then categorically denied that the Prime Minister had ever made such a request.
