American Kashmiri group hopes for Trump’s mediation

Washington, Jan 15 (IANS) The US-based World Kashmir Awareness organisation expressed the hope that the US President-elect Donald Trump would help resolve long-standing Kashmir dispute to establish durable peace in the region.

As Trump prepares to assume the presidency on January 20, the organisation's Secretary General Ghulam Nabi Fai, in a statement addressing the President-elect, said he hoped that Trump would help mediate on the issue to get the Kashmiris their right to self-determination.

Referring to Trump's promise during his election campaign to help resolve the Kashmir issue, Fai was quoted by the Associated Press of Pakistan as saying that the sentiments expressed by him were both humane and pragmatic, and should get bipartisan support.

"We believe that your desire to mediate and bring the parties together is extremely valuable right now," he said and added that the Kashmiris do not visualise a settlement that would be unrealistic.

"But we do ask for a settlement that would be in accordance with the wishes of 20 million people of the state, impartially ascertained."

"The modalities for putting such a settlement in place can be worked out through negotiations between the parties concerned, governments of India and Pakistan and the legitimate leadership of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Fai said.

He reminded the President-elect that resolution of the Kashmir dispute was important for not just the peace and security of South Asia that but also the peace, security and stability of the entire region, including Afghanistan.

"Denying Kashmiris their right is a very dangerous game, particularly when the will for self-determination has only grown stronger with the passage of time," he added.