Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 4

India has politely turned down the US offer to mediate with Pakistan and emphasised the “bilateral” aspect of  India-Pakistan ties,  US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said today, indicating a serious shift in the US policy. Previous US Administrations have stayed away from getting caught up in the India-Pakistan narrative, maintaining that its a matter between the two nations.Speaking at a press conference in New York, when asked if the US would want to play a role in defusing tensions between India and Pakistan, Haley expressed the hope that US President Donald Trump could also play a role in mediating between the two countries.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)“We very much think that we should be proactive in the way that we are seeing tensions rise and conflicts start to bubble up and so we want to see if we can be a part of that,” Haley said. She said that she “wouldn’t be surprised if the President participates in that as well”. India, however, was quick and blunt in its response to the gesture.  “Our position for bilateral redress of all India-Pakistan issues in an environment free of terror and violence hasn’t changed,” said the Ministry of External Affairs.To another question, a veiled reference to China using its veto in the UN to block the designation of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist, Haley said: “Are we going to have people that veto certain issues? Yes. But that doesn’t preclude the US from acting and it certainly does not preclude us from trying to see if we can change that as well.”