Washington/New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has said that India and Pakistan have been in a fight over Kashmir “for a thousand years, probably longer” and that the two countries will figure out a way to resolve tensions “one way or the other”.
Asked by reporters on Air Force One about the tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack, the US President said:
“India and Pakistan, they’ve had their fight in Kashmir for a thousand years, it’s been going on for a thousand years, probably longer than that…It was a bad one yesterday, a bad one, over 30 people”, he said referring to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed by Pakistan-linked terrorists.
Asked about the tensions building up on the border and if he was concerned, the US President said:
“The tensions on the border have been there for one thousand five hundred years, …but they are going to figure it out one way or the other, I know both their leaders.”
The US President’s comments come after the US State Department said on Friday on the Pahalgam terrorist attack:
“Now on to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam. As President Trump and Secretary Rubio have made clear, the United States stands with India, strongly condemns all acts of terrorism.
“We pray for the lives of those lost and for the recovery of the injured and call for the perpetrators of this heinous act to be brought to justice,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Asked if the US has a reaction to India blaming Pakistan for being connected to the attackers, and if the US sees Pakistan as potentially being behind the attack and also if Washington is playing any role in diplomacy to try and cool tensions, she said the US is monitoring the situation very closely.
“Well, I put it in the topper obviously because it was a horrible situation, but at the same time that’s basically going to be the extent of the comments at this point.
“What I can tell you is, of course, as we all know, it’s a rapidly changing situation and we are monitoring it closely, as you might imagine.
“And we, of course, are not now taking a position on the status of Kashmir or of Jammu either, so that’s really going to be the extent of what I can say today.”
