During a US state department briefing, a journalist faced a sharp rebuff while attempting to question whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opposed de-escalation talks with Pakistan. The journalist framed US President Donald Trump as a key figure in efforts to defuse recent tensions between India and Pakistan that occurred after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, claiming that the move was not welcomed by India.
“Pakistan welcomed President Trump efforts for bringing the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, and they believe that President Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he were to bring peace between Pakistan and India on Kashmir issue. But Prime Minister Modi did not welcome this effort… Does that disappoint this building at all, the attitude of Narendra Modi of not welcoming this peace deal?” the reporter questioned US department of state principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
The US official, sidestepping the said remarks, emphasised that the United States is focused on sustaining the ceasefire. “That is what we are happy to see. That’s where our focus remains. And we want to see a ceasefire be maintained, and we want to encourage direct communication,” Pigott said, calling for a direct communication between the two countries.
Even as Trump has been crediting his administration with brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire, New Delhi has maintained that it was initiated by Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) under pressure following Indian strikes.
On Nobel Peace Prize for Trump
Responding to the reporter’s question that Pakistan believes Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he were to bring peace between Pakistan and India on Kashmir issue, Pigott described the US President as a “peacemaker”.
“He’s a peacemaker. He values peace. He’s also a dealmaker, and he has shown that again and again and again in terms of both pursuing an America First agenda but also pursuing peace and wanting to see peace and conflicts come to an end,” he said.
Earlier, Trump had said that he would work with both India and Pakistan to find a solution “concerning Kashmir”.
Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. As you are aware, the outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan.”
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