Trump makes U-turn on J&K

Paris: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the Kashmir issue on the sidelines of a G7 summit in France on Monday.

Modi, with US President Donald Trump by his side at their meeting in France on Monday, stressed that India and Pakistan were one before 1947 and all issues between the two were bilateral, categorically rejecting any third-party mediation.

"There are many bilateral issues between India and Pakistan, and we don't want to trouble any third country. We can discuss and resolve these issues bilaterally," Modi said, addressing the media jointly with President Trump before their talks on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Biarritz.

President Trump, who had twice offered to mediate on Kashmir, said: "We spoke last night about Kashmir... and the Prime Minister really feels that he has the situation under control."

The US president said he spoke to Modi "at great length". "I have very good relationship with both the gentlemen (Modi and Khan) and I''m here.

I think they can do it (resolve the issue) themselves," he said.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of continued restrictions in parts of Jammu and Kashmir since the government's decision to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and split the state into two union territories.

Earlier, Trump had described the Kashmir situation as "explosive" and offering to mediate between India and Pakistan if asked. Washington has traditionally maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan.