Washington/New Delhi, Apr 26 (UNI) US President Donald Trump has said that there always has been great tension between India and Pakistan, but the two countries “will get it figured out by themselves one way or the other”.
Asked by reporters on Air Force One while on his way to Rome about the tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack, the US President said:
“I’m very close to India, and I’m very close to Pakistan. As you know they’ve had their fight for a thousand years in Kashmir, it’s been going on for a thousand years, probably longer than that…and 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:
“Well, there has been tensions on that border for one thousand five hundred years, so, get it, it’s the same as it’s been. They’ll get it figured out one way or the other, I know both their leaders. There is great tension between Pakistan and India, there always has been.”
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 have 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 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.”
UNI RN