US on defensive mode: Kashmir a 'bilateral issue', says State Department

Richard Verma, the US ambassador to India during the last years of the Obama administration, said Trump "did a lot of damage" with his remarks on Kashmir and Afghanistan, which were "way off the mark"

US President Donald Trump’s remarks claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought his mediation in the Kashmir issue, triggered sharp reactions, including from the Congress, as the US State Department went into a damage-control mode. 

The State Department on Tuesday said it was a “bilateral” issue between India and Pakistan, and the US “welcomed” the two countries “sitting down” for talks. It also said Pakistan taking “sustained and irreversible” steps against terrorism was key to a successful dialogue with India. 

“While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the