New York/Washington: Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the US, UK and several other nations have called on both countries “not to escalate” the conflict.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will speak to their foreign ministers “as early as today or tomorrow”.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce at a press briefing on Tuesday said that Washington is reaching out to both India and Pakistan “regarding the Kashmir situation” and telling “them not to escalate the situation.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio “expects to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow. He is encouraging other national leaders and foreign ministers to reach out to the countries on this issue,” Bruce said.
“So it is – again, as I’ve noted, every day action is being taken, in this case the Secretary speaking directly to his counterparts in India and Pakistan, and we’ll – we expect certainly the impact he’s usually had with the individuals he’s spoken with and certainly with President Trump’s leadership, India and Pakistan having those conversations. It’s very important for them,” Bruce said.
Responding to a question on Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s comments that Pakistan has “been doing this dirty work for United States”, Bruce added “the only thing I’m really prepared to discuss here is the fact that the Secretary of State is going to be speaking with the foreign ministers of both countries.”
“What I can tell you – obviously, we’re also monitoring the developments across the board in that region, and we – as you know, at multiple levels, I have to say – are in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan, not just at the foreign minister level, certainly, but at multiple levels. We, of course, are encouraging all parties to work together for a responsible solution. The world is watching this. But I have no additional details in that regard.”
Also, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday spoke separately by telephone with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reiterating his strong condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
In a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, “Received a call from @UN SG @antonioguterres. Appreciate his unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Agreed on the importance of accountability. India is resolved that the perpetrators, planners and backers of this attack are brought to justice.”
In the telephone calls, Guterres noted the importance of pursuing justice and accountability for these attacks through lawful means, as the spokesman for Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said.
Guterres also expressed his deep concern at the rising tensions between India and Pakistan and underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences.
The UN chief offered his Good Offices to support any de-escalation efforts, Dujarric added.
President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang is also “deeply concerned” by the escalation of violence between India and Pakistan, Spokesperson for the Office of the President of the General Assembly Sharon Birch said at a press briefing.
Yang extended his sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, and “stresses that the targeting of civilians is unacceptable and cannot be justified under any circumstances. He calls on both parties to exercise maximum restraint and to resolve this dispute through diplomatic means.”
The UK government also called for calm and dialogue between India and Pakistan at a time of heightened tensions in the region.
Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer responded to an “Urgent Question” tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday by British Sikh Labour MP Gurinder Singh Josan on the role Britain is playing in supporting India in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
He also raised concerns over the regional tensions spilling over onto UK streets in the form of protests, characterised by provocative language and gestures, including “what appears to be a throat-slitting motion by an alleged Pakistan official” and “windows being smashed” at Pakistan’s High Commission in London.
“The horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April was devastating… We call on all sides, all community leaders and all involved to call for calm at a time of tension in the region,” said Falconer.
“We are aware of reports of the video that my Honourable Friend refers to; the Metropolitan police are investigating, so I will not provide any further commentary on that particular incident, but it is obviously concerning,” he said, with reference to a Pakistani official caught on camera making a threatening gesture towards Indian protesters last week.
“We take seriously our responsibility for the security of all embassies and High Commissions under the Vienna Convention, so both the Pakistani and Indian High Commissions will receive all the support of the UK state to ensure that they stay safe,” the minister said.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel was among the MPs who pressed the minister on “cross-border links to Pakistan among the perpetrators of this terrorist act” and actions being taken to prevent tensions from escalating among communities in the UK.
“We want to see the perpetrators held to justice properly, and we will be supporting India to do so,” Falconer said.
“We are playing our role to try to ensure that tensions do not escalate. Many of us in this House are familiar with the tense and storied history between the two countries. We are friends to them both, and we do not want to see an uncontrolled escalation in tensions,” he said.
The minister reiterated the long-standing UK position that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
“It is not for us to prescribe a solution,” he asserted, calling for “direct dialogue” between both countries.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Wednesday also expressed their deep concern over the escalation between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and called on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, reiterated the nation’s “full support for all efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions” between India and Pakistan and addressing their outstanding issues through dialogue and peaceful means.
“Dialogue remains the optimal approach for addressing regional and international crises and disputes,” the statement said, expressing Qatar’s “deep concern” over the escalation between India and Pakistan.
It called on the two countries to “exercise maximum restraint, prevail the voice of wisdom, respect the principles of good neighbourliness and resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels.”
Expressing its concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan and the continued exchange of fire along the border areas, Saudi Arabia’s foreign affairs ministry, in a statement, said, “The Kingdom calls on both countries to de-escalate, avoid further escalation, and resolve disputes through diplomatic means.”
It urged India and Pakistan to uphold the principles of good neighbourliness, and strive for stability and peace for the welfare of their people and region.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said it is following with “great concern and interest” the tension between “the friendly” India and Pakistan.
“The ministry affirms Kuwait’s firm and unwavering position in supporting the diplomatic process and emphasising reason and dialogue in resolving all regional and international issues. The ministry also calls on all parties to exercise self-restraint, avoid escalation, and adhere to the provisions and rules of international law and the principles of good neighbourliness, with the aim of achieving constructive dialogue that achieves regional and international security and stability,” the statement said.
