India today denied Donald Trump’s claim in a meeting with Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan that he had been asked to broker peace in Kashmir.
Clearly taken by surprise, the Indian foreign ministry insisted that “no such request” was made.
“It has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally,” said ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar.
Both India and Pakistan claim all of Kashmir, but control only part of it.
Mr Trump was asked during his meeting with Mr Khan yesterday whether the US could help in the conflict over the territory, which has cost more than 70,000 lives. According to an Oval Office transcript, Mr Trump said he had already been asked to intercede by India’s premier Narendra Modi.
“So I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject and he actually said, ‘Would you like to be a mediator, or arbitrator?’” the president claimed.
“I said, ‘Where?’ He said, ‘Kashmir, because this has been going on for many, many years.’”
Mr Trump added: “If I can help, I would love to be a mediator.”
Indian politician Shashi Tharoor later tweeted that Mr Trump did not have the “slightest idea of what he was talking about. He has either not been briefed or not understood what Modi was saying.” The US State Department moved quickly today to defuse the row. While not commenting directly on Mr Trump’s claim, the department’s South Central Asia bureau said in a tweet: “While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes #Pakistan and #India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration faces a court battle over its plan to fast-track deportation of undocumented immigrants. Under new rules due to be imposed today, any illegal immigrant who cannot prove they have been living in the US continuously for two years can be deported immediately.
Previously, only those found within 100 miles of the border who had been in the US for less than two weeks could be kicked out right away.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which is launching a legal challenge, said: “Immigrants that have lived here for years will have less due process rights than people get in traffic court. The plan is unlawful. Period.”
