Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday, 22 August, dismissed a claim by Pakistan’s envoy in Colombo that he had advocated resolving the Kashmir issue under the UN resolutions.
“The President gave a hearing to the (Pakistani) High Commissioner. He was told that it was the Sri Lankan policy to see this dispute resolved through regional cooperation as both countries do enjoy a high level of friendship,” the President’s Office said in a statement.
It denied that the president had made such comments pertaining to mediation or facilitation of dialogue between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Colombo Maj Gen Retd Dr Shahid Ahmad Hashmat had met President Sirisena on Wednesday, following which a release was issued by the Pakistan High Commission.
The statement read, “The President acknowledged that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and expressed his desire that this dispute should be resolved according to wishes of Kashmiris under UN Resolutions. He also offered Sri Lanka’s mediation and facilitation of dialogue between Pakistan and India to re-activate the SAARC forum.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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