Washington: Amid heightened tension, the US has called for India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint”, and urged Islamabad to take action against terrorists.
Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, said, “We encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost.”
"Following Indian counter-terrorism actions on February 26, I spoke with Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to emphasise our close security partnership and shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region," Pompeo said in a statement.
Pompeo said that in talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, he had stressed “the priority of de-escalating current tensions by avoiding military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil.”
US Secy of State issues statement in the light of strike by Indian Air Force in Balakot;states,"I spoke to Pak Foreign Min to underscore priority of de-escalating current tensions by avoiding military action&urgency of Pak taking action against terror groups operating on its soil pic.twitter.com/ac5nFKf8nw
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2019
In a separate call with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Pompeo emphasised the close security partnership between the US and India and the shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region.
Pompeo is currently in Vietnam to attend the second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on denuclearsation of the Korean peninsula.
Last week, US National Security Adviser John Bolton told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval that America supports India's right to self defence as both sides vowed to work together to ensure that Pakistan ceases to be a safe haven for JeM and other terror groups.
