The US statement department has indirectly confirmed that Pakistan did not give anything in the form of a promise or commitment for the ceasefire agreed on May 10, within hours after Pakistan launched a barrage of missiles and drones to counter the Indian attack on its airbases.
The state department also indicated that Washington was pushing India and Pakistan for talks and would continue to do so.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian External Affairs Ministry on Tuesday rejected talks with Pakistan.
During a press briefing on May 13, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the United States welcomed the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan and praised both countries’ leaders for choosing the path of peace, while declining to discuss any Pakistani assurances on dismantling terrorist infrastructure.
Responding to a question from an Indian journalist regarding any commitments by Pakistani leadership to dismantle terrorist networks, Pigott stated, “I’m not going to talk about private diplomatic conversations.” He emphasized the US focus on encouraging peace: “We welcome the ceasefire reached between India and Pakistan this weekend and we commend both prime ministers for choosing the path of peace.”
Asked whether the US could bring both countries together for talks despite India’s refusal of third-party mediation, Pigott reiterated, “I’m not going to speculate on that.” He maintained that the US continues to support direct communication between India and Pakistan and commended both sides for “the wisdom and fortitude” in opting for peace.
In response to a question about whether a US team had been sent to Pakistan following reports of nuclear radiation leaks at secure sites, Pigott said, “I have nothing to preview on that at this time.”
The follow is an excerpt from the State Department briefing:
QUESTION: Thank you. A couple of questions on South Asia. During hiscalls with Pakistani prime minister, the foreign minister, the armychief, and Secretary in the call, did he receive any commitment orassurance from the Pakistani leadership that they will dismantle allthe terrorist infrastructure and they will no longer support terroristgroups within the country?
MR PIGOTT: I’m not going to talk about private diplomaticconversations. What I can say is reiterate what we’ve been saying fora couple days now is that we welcome the ceasefire reached betweenIndia and Pakistan this weekend and we commend both prime ministersfor choosing the path of peace. The President spoke out about this. Hewas very clear in terms of that. We also want to encourage directcommunication between the parties. That is something we’ve also beenclear about as well.
QUESTION: India has refused any US effort to mediate between Indiaand Pakistan. How hopeful you are that you will be able to bring themtogether in the same room for talks?
MR PIGOTT: Well, I’m not going to speculate on that. What I can say isthat we encourage direct communication. We have been clear on that. Wecontinue to encourage that direct communication. The President hasbeen clear on that. And the President, as I said, has also been clearin praising both prime ministers for choosing the path towards peaceand the wisdom and fortitude that that shows.
QUESTION: Has US sent a team to Islamabad or Pakistan following thereports that there have been leaks of nuclear radiation in some of the secure Pakistani sites?
MR PIGOTT: I have nothing to preview on that at this time.
QUESTION: A follow-up.
QUESTION: I have one more question.
MR PIGOTT: Sorry.
QUESTION: A follow-up. Thank you.
MR PIGOTT: I think that’s —
QUESTION: Thank you, Tommy. Thank you, Tommy, and a beautiful styleyou have, by the way. I hope you continue to do that more often –these briefings. My question is about – Pakistan welcomed PresidentTrump efforts for bringing the ceasefire between Pakistan and India,and they believe that President Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize ifhe were to bring peace between Pakistan and India on Kashmir issue.But Prime Minister Modi did not welcome this effort, and he’s the samegentleman that was not allowed to come to the US till 10 years ago.Does that disappoint this building at all, the attitude of NarendraModi of not welcoming this peace deal?
MR PIGOTT: Well, what we are happy to see is a ceasefire.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR PIGOTT: That is what we are happy to see. That’s where our focusremains. And we want to see a ceasefire be maintained, and we want toencourage direct communication. That is our focus here. Our focus isthe ceasefire. Our focus is on encouraging direct communication.That’s where our focus is going to remain. The President has spoken onthis.
And just to take the first part of your question kind of focusing on amore global foreign policy front, talking about issues around theworld, the President – President Trump – is a peacemaker. He’s apeacemaker. He values peace. He’s also a dealmaker, and he has shownthat again and again and again in terms of both pursuing an AmericaFirst agenda but also pursuing peace and wanting to see peace andconflicts come to an end.
QUESTION: Thank you very much. One more question about —
QUESTION: A follow-up.
QUESTION: Excuse me. One more question.
MR PIGOTT: Yeah.
QUESTION: The drones which India used against Pakistan wereIsraeli-made drones. President Trump’s one initiative that has beenglobally recognized and talked about is his Abraham Accord idea. Doyou think this landing of Israeli drones in Pakistan would createhurdles in the President vision – his whole thought about this AbrahamAccord where he wants to bring these three religions close to eachother – or these Israeli drones will further complicate the relationsbetween Pakistan and Israel, or no?
MR PIGOTT: Well, I’ll reiterate what we are focused on here and happyto see is a ceasefire. We want to see direct communication between theparties. And when it comes to, again, solving conflicts that haveexisted in regions around the world, the President wants to solvethose conflicts when he can. He’s often said that he stands ready toaid in the pursuit of peace; he stands ready to help. And thePresident is a dealmaker. He is a peacemaker. He has shown that againand again. And we’re seeing the results of that from the past hundreddays and even just this last week. So the President is a dealmaker,he’s a peacemaker, but nothing to comment further beyond that.
Pakistan on Tuesday “strongly condemned” what it termed “provocative and inflammatory” remarks made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent address.
“The portrayal of Pakistan as seeking a ceasefire in ‘despair and frustration’ is yet another blatant lie,” the FO said.
However, Trump expressed a desire to collaborate on finding a resolution regarding Kashmir on Monday.
This came in the wake of Indian airstrikes allegedly targeting terror infrastructure across the Line of Control, under the banner of “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left over two dozen people dead.
India blamed Pakistan for this attack; however, Pakistan denied the links to it.
Also, India started a war against Pakistan, Indian sources claimed that Pakistan targeted 26 military locations, including key airbases, in a massive retaliatory operation launched after earlier Indian strikes on Pakistani airfields on May 10.
After the ceasefire, on May 13, the Pakistan military announced the martyrdom of 40 civilians and 11 personnel.
