US Diplomat John W. McDonald, who is also the chairman of the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD), has called upon New Delhi to cut troops in occupied Kashmir, said Kashmir Media Service while quoting media reports.
Talking to a group of journalists and diplomats from nine different countries visiting the US at the National Press Club, he pointed out that reduction in Indian troops in occupied Kashmir was necessary for a peaceful resolution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute.
He said: "It is ridiculous to deploy 700,000 troops in occupied Kashmir. The Indian government should reduce troops to send a strong message."
McDonald said: "New Delhi is the impediment to the resolution of the Kashmir issue."
"Kashmir bus service was a great event in the history of the sub-continent, and the first major sign of peace building regarding Kashmir since 1947," he said.
The US diplomat emphasised that the two sides should sit down face-to-face and talk, saying: "There is no other way out of the conflict.