The United States wants New Delhi to quickly ease restrictions imposed in occupied Kashmir, a senior official said Thursday, declaring President Donald Trump's willingness to mediate to ease tensions between India and Pakistan over the territory.
Trump met separately this week with both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, who are both due to address the UN General Assembly on Friday. While Trump has forged a close bond with Modi, joining the Hindu nationalist at a massive rally on Sunday in Houston where the Indian leader boasted of his actions in occupied Kashmir, a senior official said that the United States had concerns over the clampdown in the region.
"We hope to see rapid action - the lifting of the restrictions and the release of those who have been detained," Alice Wells, the top State Department official for South Asia, told reporters.
"The United States is concerned by widespread detentions, including those of politicians and business leaders, and the restrictions on the residents of Jammu and Kashmir," Wells said.
"We look forward to the Indian government's resumption of political engagement with local leaders and the scheduling of the promised elections at the earliest opportunity," she said.
"The world would benefit from reduced tensions and increased dialogue between the two countries and, given these factors, the president is willing to mediate if asked by both parties," she said.
She also questioned why Khan was not also speaking out about China, which has detained an estimated one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims.
"I would like to see the same level of concern expressed also about Muslims who have been detained in western China, literally in concentration-like conditions," she said.
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