UNITED NATIONS (Web Desk) – United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stands ready to mediate peace talks between Pakistan and India amid friction, provided the two neighbours accept his good offices, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
Related: Chaos continues in Indian-held Kashmir as toll climbs to 32
“Good offices is a standing offer,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the regular noon briefing in reply to a question from a journalist who referred to ongoing clashes in
Kashmir and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in which he also blamed the news media for inflaming the situation.
He underscored that the secretary general’s good offices worked only when both parties agreed to mediation. He said the UN chief had always encouraged direct talks between the two countries for the resolution of their outstanding issues, Dawn News reported.
Read More: Foreign Office briefs Security Council’s permanent members over Kashmir issue