The United States has expressed its desire for India and Pakistan to have a peaceful and productive relationship adding that the nature of the dialogue will still depend on the two nations.
While responding to a question on Prime Minister Modi’s congratulatory post to the newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday said that the US welcomes PM Modi’s statement and wants a peaceful relationship between the two nations.
“We, of course, welcome the prime minister's statement. The United States values its relationship with both India and Pakistan, and we want to see them have a productive and peaceful relationship,” Miller said.
Responding to another question, Miller said, “We would welcome productive and peaceful talks between India and Pakistan, but the pace, scope, and character of any dialogue is a matter for India and Pakistan to determine.”
Prime Minister Modi congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on taking oath as the prime minister, which is his second-term in the office.
Sharif took the oath earlier this week almost a month after an inconclusive election marred by allegations of vote rigging by the opposition parties.
As Sharif assumed office, experts in Pakistan said they do not see an immediate improvement in ties between Pakistan and India in the near future due to their major differences over the vexed Kashmir issue.
The relationship between the two nuclear-armed neighbors worsened in 2019 after India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories.
The nations have been locked in a love-hate relationship since independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Despite a sour relationship, the two nations frequently collaborate in the fields of art and culture.
