Kashmir protests India’s ‘internal matter’: US

WASHINGTON - While describing the current turbulence in Jammu and Kashmir as India’s ‘internal matter, the United States reiterated that it would continue supporting the efforts of both India and Pakistan to reduce the tension amidst them and resolve the long pending issues.

Interacting with reporters here, US State Department’s deputy spokesman Mark Tone said Washington was worried over the loss of life in Kashmir during violent protests that has thrown normal life out of gear in the Valley.

“We regret the loss of life in this incident. It is an internal Indian matter. We respect the efforts of the government of India to investigate and resolve the current situation in Kashmir,” The Dawn quoted Tone, as saying.

Tone also urged the protestors to refrain from violence and voice their concern in a more peaceful way.

“In terms of the protest, we would just urge everyone to refrain from violence and conduct protest in a free and peaceful manner,” he said.

“The United States has always encouraged India and Pakistan to resolve all its differences through dialogue,” Tone said while responding to a question that whether the contentious Kashmir issue would come up for discussion during the upcoming Foreign Minister level talks between India and Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna is scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad on July 15 . (ANI)