Urge Islamabad to take meaningful action: US Secy Mike Pompeo
Mike Pompeo is the US Secretary of State and was reacting to heightened tension in between India and Pakistan
Washington: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked with India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan’s counterpart regarding escalating tensions in between the neighbouring countries and asked both of the countries to “exercise restraint”. While he lauded India for its huge anti-terrorist step, he urged Pakistan to “take meaningful action.”
“We encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement today.
Mr Pompeo spoke separately with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi. “I also encouraged both ministers to prioritise direct communication and avoid further military activity,” he said.
“Following Indian counter-terrorism actions on February 26, I spoke with Indian Minister of External Affairs Swaraj to emphasise our close security partnership and shared the goal of maintaining peace and security in the region,” he said in his statement.
“I also spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi to underscore 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,” he said of his conversation with the minister.
Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj, who is in China for a trilateral meet with Russia and China, defended the air strikes at Balakot and said it was not a military operation but rather a step to eliminated terror outfits’ camps.
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