WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday (May 8) urged India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate and engage in dialogue, as he pressed Islamabad to end any support for “terrorist groups”.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours have engaged in deadly confrontations in recent days, after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir. Pakistan has denied the charge.
Rubio, in calls with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, “emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation”, a State Department statement said.
“He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” said spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.
In his call with Sharif, Rubio “reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups”.
He also “expressed sorrow for the reported loss of civilian lives in the current conflict”.
