US State Dept statement on J&K

[sandeep]

Quote

S WELLS:  Great.  So we were pleased that Secretary Pompeo kicked off his UNGA week with an important SCA engagement, and that was the C5+1 ministerial with his counterparts from all five Central Asian republics.  And they had very substantive conversations on repatriating foreign terrorist fighters, on border security, economic connectivity, and including how to economically stitch Afghanistan back into the Central Asian neighborhood.

Today we had another important multilateral session, a meeting with the Quad partners – the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan.  This grouping has met four times in the past two years at the senior officials level, at my level, but today’s event, which was hosted by Secretary Pompeo with his counterparts, was a significant elevation of the level of our dialogue and really demonstrates the leadership of all four countries in institutionalizing this gathering of like-minded Indo-Pacific partners.  In the ministerial – and I know you heard some from Assistant Secretary Stilwell – we had a wide-ranging discussion of our collective efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, but also touching on counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security cooperation, development finance, and cybersecurity.

I would say that the U.S. and Indian joint participation in the Quad also demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-India relationship and our shared commitment to, again, advancing a values-based policy towards the region.  I know all of you have been paying close attention to President Trump’s meetings with the prime ministers of Pakistan and India this week, including the historic Houston gathering of over 50,000 Indian Americans with the prime minister and President, so I’ll touch briefly on those.

I think the President’s message was clear.  He has a strong relationship with the leaders of both India and Pakistan, and the world would benefit from reduced tensions and increased dialogue between the two countries.  And given these factors, the President is willing to mediate if asked by both parties.  We’re continuing to welcome Pakistan Prime Minister Khan’s commitment to prevent cross-border terrorism and to fulfill Pakistan’s stated commitment to combat militant and terrorist groups without distinction.  I think the prime minister made an important statement last week where he called militants seeking to cross the border enemies of Pakistan and the Kashmiri people.

Prime Minister Khan obviously raised his concerns on Kashmir, and as we’ve noted previously, the United States is concerned by widespread detentions, including those of politicians and business leaders, and the restrictions on the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.  We look forward to the Indian Government’s resumption of political engagement with local leaders and the scheduling of the promised elections at the earliest opportunity.  As President Trump emphasized, Prime Minister Modi made a commitment that the recent changes to the status of Kashmir will improve the lives of the Kashmiri people, and we look to him to uphold this promise.

As you saw in his address at the General Assembly, President Trump is very focused on fair and reciprocal trade as central to the global order, and expanding trade with India and Pakistan is also a top priority.  Currently our trade with Pakistan is quite modest – just 6.6 billion – so increasing this volume substantially is going to be the focus of our efforts in the coming months.  In contrast, we enjoy a robust trade relationship with India, totaling 142 billion in trade in goods and services last year.  We’re making strides in reducing the trade deficit, thanks in large part to increased energy exports, and we really herald the signing of a major MOU between India’s Petronet and the Texas-based Tellurian for up to $2.5 billion in equity investment plus long-term LNG trade.  This translates into about 50,000 jobs and $60 billion in trade over the longer term.  Talks on U.S. market access are ongoing, and although we’re not able to make an announcement this week, I’m confident that we are going to make progress on a trade deal.

...

QUESTION:  Sure.  Shaun Tandon, AFP.  You mentioned that President Trump said he’s willing to mediate (inaudible) with India and Pakistan.  Of course, the Indian position historically has always been that they reject outside mediation.  In his talks with Prime Minister Modi, what was the discussion on that issue?  Was there any talk about whether there was any potential for mediation (inaudible)?

MS WELLS:  I think Prime Minister Modi has made it clear his position that he’s not seeking mediation.  I think what we would like to see are the conditions whereby India and Pakistan can have a constructive conversation that leads to an improvement of relations between the two nuclear powers.  And obviously, that is going to hinge off of the – off of counterterrorism, off of Pakistan’s seriousness of effort in ensuring that groups don’t take advantage and engage in cross-border infiltration, that there are serious steps to implement the Financial Action Task Force action plan that Pakistan has committed to, and which includes the prosecution of UN-designated terrorists.  So whether it’s Hafiz Saeed who currently is in custody and under prosecution, but also leaders of Jaish-e-Mohammed, like Masood Azhar, who long have been able to exploit their presence on Pakistani soil.

But as Pakistan takes these steps – and Prime Minister Khan has been very explicit that that is his intention and his objective – as Pakistan takes these steps, can we then see a reduction in tensions between the two countries and productive engagement between the two?  The region’s stability, the region’s economic growth has long been, I think, unnaturally constrained because whether it’s Central Asia not being able to take advantage of natural north-south trade into India, or Pakistan not benefiting from living next to a 1.3 billion-person market, the benefits of improved relations are obvious.

QUESTION:  Might I follow-up briefly?

MS WELLS:  Sure, go ahead.

QUESTION:  Just on the – you mentioned the concerns about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.  Were those raised directly with Prime Minister Modi?

MS WELLS:  We’ve discussed these concerns with the Indian Government at all levels.

QUESTION:  What are you asking them, though?  Because, I mean, it seemed like they were making promises to you early on that they would be lifting a lot of restrictions, but it hasn’t been happening.  I mean, the region is still pretty much cut off.  What are you asking them to do?

MS WELLS:  Prime Minister Modi in August, after the actions that were taken in Kashmir, sort of laid out a plan and objectives of returning Kashmir political life and restoration of – even of state status and engagement with a new generation of political leaders.  And I think we are interested in knowing the next steps in engagement and encouraging that political dialogue to begin, in which we’ll also in the next – we hope to see rapid action in the lifting of the restrictions and in the release of those who have been detained.

QUESTION:  Is the U.S. going to be at all involved in the economic investment conferences that Modi government is planning for Kashmir?

MS WELLS:  I’m not aware of any investment conference currently planned.  But obviously, steps that would benefit the Kashmiri people we would welcome – I mean, economic benefits to the Kashmiri people.  But right now, the focus I think has been on the return to political life and to a dialogue between the parties.  This is a issue that members of Congress have raised in letters that they’ve sent to the administration and there will be – Congress has called for testimony on human rights in South Asia.  So this is a – friends of India want to see the way forward.

QUESTION:  And have – sorry.

MS WELLS:  That’s okay.

QUESTION:  Have there been any diplomat – has the U.S. ambassador or anybody gone up to Kashmir to see for themselves what’s happening?

MS WELLS:  I do not – certainly the U.S. ambassador has not been to Kashmir since the change in its status.  He visited earlier this year, but I don’t recall specifically when.  I don’t know – I can’t answer offhand whether we’ve had anybody travel there recently.  The embassy does travel regularly to Kashmir as part of its natural outreach.

MS ORTAGUS:  Carol.

QUESTION:  You said that the Government of India – it had made assurances that what is going on in Kashmir will improve the lives of the people who live there.  Is that how you see it?  I happened to go in yesterday to talk with Prime Minister Khan, and that’s not how he sees it.  And he said explicitly he came here to warn of an impending cataclysm about to happen there and that he considers Modi a fascist, to use “Modi is a fascist,” quote-marked.  Do – how do you see what is going on in Kashmir, if that will or will not improve the lives, and what kind – what sense did you get from Prime Minister Khan about – what kind of warnings did you get?

MS WELLS:  I think that what the President underscored was Prime Minister Modi’s commitment that he made – that he’s made publicly to the people of India and to the people of Kashmir.  And so we would welcome steps that would lead to increased economic growth and the well-being of the Kashmiri people.  That’s also obviously going to require there to be a normalized political environment and the involvement and engagement of the residents of Kashmir.

Obviously, I think we’ve all seen and heard Prime Minister Khan’s strong statements.  I would say in general across the region, a lowering of rhetoric would be welcome, particularly between two nuclear powers.  And again, we have shared and expressed our concerns over the human rights situation in Kashmir.  We welcome improvements in that situation.  I would like to see the same level of concern expressed also about Muslims who are being detained in Western China, literally in concentration-like conditions.  And so being concerned about the human rights of Muslims does extend more broadly than Kashmir, and you’ve seen the administration very involved here during the UN General Assembly and trying to shine a light on the horrific conditions that continue to exist for Muslims throughout China.

 

 

https://www.state.gov/acting-assistant-secretary-for-the-bureau-of-south-and-central-asian-affairs-alice-wells-at-the-74th-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly/

[coffee_rules]

Oh wow! I have never seen such a tilt towards India under any previous admins. My vote is decided.

[maniac]

4 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

Oh wow! I have never seen such a tilt towards India under any previous admins. My vote is decided.

It's still a tough call. I mean still a part of you must still feel guilty voting for Trump 

[coffee_rules]

18 minutes ago, maniac said:

It's still a tough call. I mean still a part of you must still feel guilty voting for Trump 

Well, it doesn't matter. As @sandeep predicts, Drumpf might not be on the ballot.

[maniac]

21 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

Well, it doesn't matter. As @sandeep predicts, Drumpf might not be on the ballot.

In that parallel universe, Hardik Pandya is greater than Kallis+Sobers and Raghuram Rajan is a world renowned economist, so there's that

[sandeep]

1 hour ago, maniac said:

In that parallel universe, Hardik Pandya is greater than Kallis+Sobers and Raghuram Rajan is a world renowned economist, so there's that

2/10 for the strawman.   When logic fails, lies are you all have right froggy.

[sandeep]

2 hours ago, coffee_rules said:

Oh wow! I have never seen such a tilt towards India under any previous admins. My vote is decided.

Contrast this with the 1990s Robin Raphael statements.  

 

Btw, it has zero to do with Trump, more to do with the US decision in the current century to move closer to India, and a recognition that even tacit support of the Pakistani tactic of using terrorism is dangerous for not just India, but the west as well.

[G_B_]

i think given trade war with china, they would want India to be on their side.

 

I was reading that USA was dissuading India Aus NZ and Japan from joining RCEP

[sandeep]

19 minutes ago, G_B_ said:

I was reading that USA was dissuading India Aus NZ and Japan from joining RCEP

Source?

[Muloghonto]

3 hours ago, sandeep said:

Contrast this with the 1990s Robin Raphael statements.  

 

Btw, it has zero to do with Trump, more to do with the US decision in the current century to move closer to India, and a recognition that even tacit support of the Pakistani tactic of using terrorism is dangerous for not just India, but the west as well.

It has everything to do with Republican deep state being way more pro India than Democrat deep state in the last 20 years. 

[Gollum]

Robin Raphel was such a beech, nutcase or sellout?

Edited September 27, 2019 by Gollum

[FischerTal]

On 9/27/2019 at 11:58 AM, Muloghonto said:

It has everything to do with Republican deep state being way more pro India than Democrat deep state in the last 20 years. 

its quite clear to see. democrat party is moving way to the left.... with likes of AOC, Ilhan Omar, and Sanders. If they don't put up a moderate, Trump will win easily. 

[Turning_track]

On 9/28/2019 at 2:01 AM, Gollum said:

Robin Raphel was such a beech, nutcase or sellout?

She was funded by Pak & never hesitated to criticize India on whichever platform she got. Her husband was the Ambassador to Pak who perished in plane crash along with Zia-Ul-Haq. It is interesting that despite being Assistant Secretary of State for the Clinton's to whom she was very close, PVNR govt. somehow improved ties after Cold war.
After her retirement from US state department she joined a consultancy firm which got a $1.2 million contract from Musharaff to improve Pakistan's image in the US.