Saudi Arabia echoes India’s stance on Kashmir in joint statement with Pakistan

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], April 9 (ANI): Saudi Arabia appears to support India’s stance on Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement with Pakistan. It urged India and Pakistan to resolve their “outstanding issues” bilaterally.

The two nations issued a joint statement after the meeting between Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The joint statement reads, “The two sides stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, (especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute) to ensure peace and stability in the region.”

During the meeting, the two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, including the worrying situation in Gaza.

Saudi Crown Prince and Pakistan PM called for international efforts to halt Israeli military operations in Gaza, mitigate humanitarian impact and underscored the importance for the international community to pressurise Israel to cease hostilities, adhere to international law, and facilitate unhindered humanitarian aid access to Gaza, according to joint statement.

India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and will always” remain an integral part of the country. Ministry of External Affairs has said India wants to have normal relations with all neighbouring nations, including Pakistan in an environment “free of terror, hostility and hostility.”

Earlier in 2019, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged the United States to use its influence to persuade India to come to the table for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. He made the remarks after then-US President Donald Trump offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir dispute.

However, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar conveyed to the then-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that any discussion on Kashmir would be done only with Pakistan and bilaterally.

“Have conveyed to American counterpart @SecPompeo this morning in clear terms that any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally,” Jaishankar had posted on X.