French President supports India: Giving a fillip to India’s stand on Kashmir, French President Emmanuel Macron said it being a bilateral issue, it needed to be resolved without any third-party intervention.
In a joint press statement after his marathon one-on-one talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 Summit in France, President Macron said PM Modi briefed him about India’s decision to end special status for Jammu and Kashmir and that it is in their sovereignty.
“I told him that India and Pakistan will have to find a solution to the issue and no third party should interfere or incite violence in the region,” Macron said.
Macron said India was told that it was the responsibility of both India and Pakistan “to avoid any deterioration which could lead to an escalation”. He said France would “remain attentive to ensure the interests and rights of the civilian populations are properly taken into account in the territories on both sides of the ceasefire line”.
French President said he would tell Pakistan Prime Minister (Imran Khan) that the talks should be held bilaterally.
The two leaders reviewed the entire gamut of the dynamic and multi-faceted bilateral relationship during one-on-one meeting on Thursday at Chateau de Chantilly, located about 50 km north of Paris.
President Macron said PM Modi had briefed him about India’s decision to abrogate the special status for Jammu and Kashmir and that it is in their sovereignty. “I told him that India and Pakistan will have to find a solution to the issue and no third party should interfere or incite violence in the region,” Macron said.
Speaking after Macron, PM Modi said the relationship between India and France is not based on solid ideals of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’.
He said India and France will expand cooperation in counter terrorism and security. Avoiding making any direct remark on Kashmir, PM Modi said India had gained France’s “valuable support in fighting cross-border terrorism” and that India had pledged to continue the fight against “radicalisation”.
Referring to the joint statement on terrorism adopted by the two countries in January 2016, the two leaders reaffirmed their strong determination to eliminate terrorism wherever it is to be found and urged the international community to strengthen the efforts to counter and prevent terrorist financing.
French President supports India: The two countries called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities.
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