Macron expressed this stance during a meeting with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in France to attend the G-7 Summit.
The French position was voiced as reports indicate President Trump is planning to bring up the Kashmir issue with Prime Minister Modi during their expected meeting at the G-7 Summit in Biarritz, a popular seaside town in southwestern France’s Basque coast, reported India's national broadcaster All India Radio.
President Trump on Tuesday (20th August) described the situation in Kashmir as “complicated and explosive” and offered to mediate between New Delhi and Islamabad for the second time in less than two months.
"Kashmir is a very complicated place. You have the Hindus and you have the Muslims, and I wouldn't say they get along so great. And that's what you have right now. We are helping the situation. There are tremendous problems between those two countries (India and Pakistan) and I will do the best I can to mediate or do something. It is a complicated situation. A lot has to do with religion. Religion is a complicated subject.”
The US President first made a claim during the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan to Washington, that Prime Minister Modi had sought his mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue, which New Delhi had emphatically denied.
The flare-up between India and Pakistan began after New Delhi stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and divided the state into two earlier in August. Pakistan, which claims it is a stakeholder in Kashmir, rejected the Indian Parliament’s decision and went on a diplomatic offensive, expelled New Delhi’s envoy in Islamabad and scaled down its own mission in India, besides suspending trade and communications.
Kashmir has been a bone of contention between the two countries since they gained freedom from British colonial rule in 1947. Both govern it in parts, but claim it in full. They also fought two wars over Kashmir.
Indian-administered Kashmir has been witnessing unrest for almost four decades, which New Delhi suspects is being fomented by Pakistan.
