Eric Garcetti, the US Ambassador to India, reiterated the long-standing stance that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved through bilateral negotiations between India and Pakistan. He emphasized that third-party intervention, including the United States, is not the solution to the issue.
Speaking to reporters, Ambassador Garcetti defended the recent visit of US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Garcetti clarified that US delegations had also visited the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir during their visit to India as part of the G20 summit. He indicated that such visits were not meant to endorse any particular stance but were part of diplomatic engagements.
“It’s not my place to react to the US Ambassador in Pakistan, but he’s been here before, and we obviously had part of our delegation in Jammu and Kashmir during the G20 as well,” Garcetti told reporters on the sidelines of the 20th Indo-US Economic Summit.
Ambassador Blome’s visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of PoK, had raised some eyebrows due to sensitivities surrounding the status of Jammu and Kashmir. Blome had previously used the term “AJK” (Azad Jammu and Kashmir), Pakistan’s preferred terminology for PoK, during his visit to the region in 2022. This had sparked controversy in India, which claims the entirety of Jammu and Kashmir.
During his visit, Ambassador Blome had met with the Prime Minister of AJK, Tanveer Ilyas, as well as various representatives from academia, business, culture, and civil society. The visit and the terminology used had rekindled discussions on the sensitive issue.
On the broader issue of the Kashmir dispute, Ambassador Garcetti emphasized that the United States remains engaged but believes that the resolution should come through direct negotiations between India and Pakistan. This stance aligns with India’s position, which seeks a bilateral resolution to the Kashmir issue in accordance with the 1972 Simla Agreement. India has consistently opposed efforts by Pakistan to internationalize the dispute and involve third parties or international organizations.
