To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution of 30 June 2020, Official Report, column 149, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani counterparts on Kashmir in light of recent tensions in that region.
This answer is the replacement for a previous holding answer.
Answered on
20 July 2020
We regularly discuss Kashmir with the Governments of India and Pakistan. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary discussed Kashmir with his Indian counterpart on 20 April, and the Minister for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed Kashmir with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights on 15 July.
The longstanding position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. We encourage both sides to engage in dialogue and find lasting, diplomatic solutions to maintain regional stability.