US And China Offer To Broker India-Pakistan Peace, Put 'Constructive Role' Offer On Table
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday engaged in discussions with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir expressing readiness to support dialogue between India and Pakistan, as stated by spokesperson Tammy Bruce. He also reportedly reaffirmed the United States' appeal for restraint.
'Find Ways To Deescalate': US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
In a release, Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts."
Spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate conversations with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. In both discussions, Secretary Rubio emphasized the urgent need for India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and re-establish direct channels of communication to prevent miscalculation.
Rubio's outreach follows a series of high-level conversations held earlier in the week with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Earlier, US President Trump emphasised that he wanted India and Pakistan to stop 'tit for tat actions'. “Oh it’s so terrible. My position is I get along with both. I know both very well and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop and hopefully they can stop now. They have gone tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now. I know both, we get along with both the countries very well. Good relationships with both and I want to see it stop. And If I can do anything to help, I will be there,” Trump said, as per a report on PTI.
'Act In Larger Interest Of Peace & Stability': China
In a statement on India-Pak tension, China said, “We strongly urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, exercise calm and restraint, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means, and refrain from any action that could further escalate tensions. This will be important for the fundamental interest of both India and Pakistan, and for a stable and peaceful region. This is also what the international community hopes to see. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role to this end”.
The diplomatic appeals come in the wake of a major Indian military operation, dubbed Operation Sindoor, launched on Wednesday in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives. Indian forces reportedly struck nine terror-linked locations across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan’s Punjab province.
In retaliation, Pakistan’s military launched heavy artillery and mortar attacks across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting several forward villages in Jammu and Kashmir, in one of the most intense exchanges in recent years.
ALSO READ: ‘Push to De-Escalate India-Pakistan Conflict’: Rubio, NSA Leading US Diplomatic Efforts, Says White House
world