Donald Trump unlikely to participate in resolving Kashmir issue, says American expert

Donald Trump is unlikely to “insert” himself in resolving Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan as the US President-elect has signaled his interest in deepening ties with India, a top American expert has said.

“It is highly doubtful that Trump administration will consider inserting itself into the volatile Indo-Pakistani dispute, especially when Trump has signaled his interest in prioritising deepening ties with India,” Lisa Curtis of The Heritage Foundation said in an op-ed in The Daily Signal.

“Indeed, if there is any useful role the US can play in tamping down tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals, it is to press Pakistan to crackdown on anti-India militants that operate freely in Pakistani territory,” Curtis said.

In her op-ed, Curtis said concerns are being raised about the US President-elect Donald Trump’s phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and what it might mean for his policies toward the subcontinent.

Pakistan in a statement said that Trump during a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered to play “any role” in helping Pakistan address its outstanding issues, which it claimed was a reference to Kashmir issue.

“These comments, however, should merely be seen as friendly banter that could have been made to almost any foreign leader,” Curtis said.

“It is not surprising that Pakistani leaders would take advantage of a polite and warm exchange to push their agenda of bringing international attention to the Indo-Pak conflict in Kashmir,” Curtis wrote.

Observing that the US handling of India-Pakistan relations is a delicate matter, she said it is important for US officials to avoid the mediation trap and “any illusion that the US itself can resolve this nearly 70-year-old dispute.”

Referring to the series of attacks against Indian Army bases, Curtis said the Uri attack demonstrates Pakistan?s willingness to up the ante in order to draw international attention to Kashmir at a time when civil protests had been wracking the region.

“The US must demonstrate that such Pakistani behaviour is unacceptable and will have consequences,” Curtis said.