US pushes for India-Pakistan dialogue, urges both countries to sort out differences through diplomacy
Sep 28, 2022
Washington [US], September 28 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the US always encourages its friends India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through diplomacy and dialogue.
ANI asked the top official of the Biden Administration whether there was a discussion with Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to improve ties with India and improve the stability in the region, responding to which Blinked said, "We always encourage our friends to resolve their differences through diplomacy, through dialogue. That hasn't changed. It won't change."
Blinken met with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Washington. A day before, Blinken held separate talks with his counterpart from Pakistan.
Blinken on Monday said he had discussed with his Pakistani counterpart what he called managing a responsible relationship with India.
"In our discussions today, we talked about the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India," Blinken said after meeting Zardari, without elaborating.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said earlier this week that "the relationship we have with India stands on its own; the relationship we have with Pakistan stands on its own".
Blinken also noted that India and the United States have made real progress in elevating their partnership through institutions like QUAD and G20 and international organisations at the United Nations during the press briefing in Washington.
"The partnership between India and US is simply one of the most consequential in the world. It is to address any global challenge that our people face - health security, climate change, food security and upholding the free and open international order. Over the past years, we have made real progress in elevating that partnership bilaterally -- through institutions like QUAD and G20 and international organisations at the United Nations," Blinken said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted several issues including the ongoing Ukraine conflict, and the Indo-Pacific situation, during a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Notably, India will take over the presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) in December.
Speaking over the presidency, Blinken said: "With India holding the presidency at the UNSC in December and taking over the presidency at G20 next year, we will be able to drive more global cooperation and action together."
