Venkatesh Iyer
Pakistan on Tuesday asked the United States to play a task in de-escalating tensions with India.
Foreign Secretary to Pakistan Sohail Mahmood requested the U.S. Under political affairs, Ambassador David Hale, to help de-escalate the tensions between the India and Pakistan during a virtual Tele-conversation.
Mr Mahmood during the talks quoted. “It was imperative to require steps to stop the escalation of tensions and to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir”.
This request based on the move on August 5, 2019, by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah declaring the abolition of Article 370 and 35A in Parliament, leading to the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
Looking forward to high-level visits between Sri Lanka, Pakistan: PM Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the fourth time on Sunday. He will be the 13th Prime Minister to assume office since inception of the position in 1947.
Replying to Imran Khan Pakistan Prime Minister congratulatory message Mahinda had quoted that he was looking forward to mutual-high level visits between Islamabad and Colombo after Prime Minister Imran Khan extended congratulations to him on his re-election.
Rajapaksa tweeted “Many thanks to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for your phone call and warm wishes. I look forward to mutual high-level visits between our countries to strengthen our friendly bilateral ties,”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to call and congratulate the Prime Minister on his victory even before the ultimate results were declared. Congratulatory messages also poured in from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli of Nepal.
India and Nepal set for a high-level meeting on 17, August, the first since map row.
A meeting between Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra & Nepal Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi scheduled for 17, August. The discussion will revolve around existing projects that India is developing within the Himalayan nation, including large-scale connectivity and infrastructure development projects.
Ties between India and Nepal had soured after the latter unveiled a replacement map that showed portions of Indian territory as a part of Nepal and this will be the first high-level meeting between the 2, neighbouring countries. However, It is also, learnt the interaction is a routine affair that takes place every few months and is not, expected to debate the discord between the 2, countries on the new Nepalese map.
