Norwegian FM’s reference to Kashmir upsets India
Eide says talks with Dar covered Kashmir to Afghanistan
Islamabad : Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has said that regional issues including Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan were discussed during his talks with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, prompting a sharp reaction from New Delhi.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Eide made the remarks during a joint media briefing with Dar on Thursday, August 13, during his two-day visit to Pakistan, the first by a Norwegian foreign minister to the country in a decade.
Referring to his discussions with the Pakistani leadership, Eide said he was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss regional issues “ranging from Jammu and Kashmir to Afghanistan.”
During the briefing, Dar said he had briefed the Norwegian foreign minister on the “long-standing unresolved” dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. He also drew Eide’s attention to what he described as a new dimension to the volatile regional security situation following India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
Eide’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir was subsequently seized upon by New Delhi, which reacted to the Norwegian minister’s comments during a regular media briefing.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when asked about Eide’s remarks, reiterated New Delhi’s position, repeated “integral” mantra.
