Trump ready to mediate on Kashmir if asked by India, Pakistan: US

US President Donald Trump is ready to mediate between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir only if asked by both the countries, a senior administration official said on Thursday.
 Trump obviously has expressed his concern over the level of tension between India and Pakistan. And he discussed Kashmir directly in his meetings with Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Imran Khan, a senior State Department official said.
"He (Trump) certainly is prepared to play a mediation role, if both the countries ask. It has been India's position not to seek outside mediation," said the official in response to a question.
Requesting anonymity, the official said the US will continue to encourage an atmosphere that will allow for constructive dialogue between the two countries.
If the president is asked to mediate by both countries, he has expressed his willingness and his interests to help facilitate a solution, the official told a group of reporters when pressed further. India has been quite clear in Prime Minister Modi's office saying that they are not seeking mediation, the official said.
That doesn't mean that the US is not actively encouraging that a dialogue take place and that an atmosphere for constructive dialogue between the two countries be established, the official said.

The official termed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Kartarpur Corridor a welcome confidence building measure between India and Pakistan which will help increase people-to-people contact.

"While it's a small step, we need more like this to also create the will, the goodwill and the environment for constructive dialogue," the official said.

Referring to the Howdy Modi event in Houston in September, the official said this demonstrated the very close partnership and friendship that the US has with India.

"The India-US strategic partnership has been growing over the last two and a half years. It is obviously part of a longer bipartisan two decade's of effort to improve relations with India that has now reached a stage of confidence and maturity," the official said.