Pakistan welcomes US offer to mediate in Kashmir dispute

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has welcomed the proposal of newly-elected US administration to mediate on Kashmir dispute.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria on Tuesday while speaking to Radio Pakistan said that only the implementation of UN resolutions is the solution to the decades-long crisis in Kashmir valley, further adding that role of the United States as a mediator would be a positive step in resolving the issue. 

Zakaria also said that peace and prosperity in South Asia are dependent on the status of Kashmir settlement. 

Earlier, US Vice President-elect Mike Pence recently opined that President-elect Donald Trump, with his unparalleled negotiating skills, is likely to play a pivotal role in the Kashmir issue.

Speaking to an American news channel, Pence noted that the rising tensions between India and Pakistan in recent times have exacerbated the Kashmir conflict, causing the thread between the two countries to become tensed enough to break.

In his talks with the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers, the President-elect explained that the US intends to bolster its linkages with the two countries, given their nuclear power status, which Trump acknowledges. In response to a question, Pence mentioned that Trump wishes to promote peace in the South Asian region once the new administration takes up the office, and to remain “fully engaged.”

With regard to playing the mediator in the Kashmir problem, the VP-elect stated that not only does Trump aim to focus on domestic affairs, but also desires to use his unmatched deal-brokering skills to resolve long-existing international matters.