INDIA Denies PM Modi Ever Asked Trump for Mediation On Kashmir Issue Between New Delhi & Islamabad

INDIA has rubbished U S President Donald Trump’s fantastic claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ever requested   him for mediation between New Delhi and Islamabad on Kashmir imbroglio. He made the observation during his  interaction with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan  in White  House on Monday, 22 July 2019.Khan repeatedly urged Trump to help resolve the issue between the two neighboring nations. The two leaders also discussed a host of issues, including the Afghan peace process. The Shimla Agreement and the Lahore declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally, Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar told Parliament today. The issue rocked two Houses of Parliament with the opposition demanding clarification by PM Modi.”There statement comes a day after Trump in initial remarks with visiting Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday offered to help resolve the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan. Earlier on Monday, MEA rejected Trump’s claims saying PM Modi never asked POTUS to mediate on Kashmir between the nations. Jaishankar, a former Foreign Secretary, reminded Parliament that it has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed bilaterally. The  Wall Street Journal reports speaking  to reporters in the Oval Office,. Khan said he was hoping that the president would be able to “bring the two countries together,” saying the U.S. could play the “most important role.” Mr. Trump chimed in that he would love to be a mediator, and said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to do so.Less than an hour after the meeting ended, India rejected the U.S. offer to mediate and disputed Mr. Trump’s description of the conversation with Mr. Modi.The meeting with Mr. Khan came as the Trump administration seeks Pakistan’s help in the U.S. war in Afghanistan, hoping to persuade Islamabad to pressure the Afghan Taliban to agree to a cease-fire and hold direct talks with the Afghan government. Both leaders struck a positive tone on progress in those efforts. Trump’s rejected offer to intervene in the Kashmir conflict is the latest example of the president’s ongoing struggle with foreign policy, where he has encountered setbacks in trade talks with China, Russian arms purchases by Turkey and efforts to persuade North Korea to denuclearize. In each situation, Mr. Trump has touted his personal relationships but yielded few tangible results for the U.S, adds WSJ.