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| India-Pakistan |
| Is Hurriyat nod to Norway mediation on Kashmir dispute sign of breakthrough? |
| 2019-01-11 |
| [ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] A day after the Prime minister of Norway Erna Solberg said her country was willing to mediate between India and Pakistain on the Kashmire issue, Hurriyat conference in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmire has welcomed the offer. "Welcome Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg’s statement with regards to the resolution of the Kashmire dispute. We also welcome their offer of mediation to facilitate peace in the region," said Chairman of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. On Monday, Prime minister of Norway while speaking at the inauguration of the new "green" Norwegian embassy in New Delhi said that her country was willing to mediate with between India and Pakistain, provided both the countries agree to such mediation. "Nobody from outside can create peace or make changes. It has to come from inside. If there is a movement between India and Pakistain for greater talks, we and other countries can say that we can help mediating if there is a possibility," she said. Solberg is on a three-day visit to India. She met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday to and discussed host of bilateral and global issues. "Norway has done a lot of work for the cause of peaceful settlements through mediation, we will intervene only if both parties, India and Pakistain, want it," she added. TALKS IN KASHMIRE Earlier in November 2018, former Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik visited Kashmire and met with Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and discussed the situation in Kashmire. He also visited the capital of Pakistain-occupied Kashmire-Muzaffarabad--and met PoK President Sardar Masood Khan. While clarifying former PM’s visit, Solberg said ’his actions didn’t have Norwegian government’s blessings’. "He went as a private citizen. He has an institute for peace and security. It’s a private institute in Norway. There isn’t any government plan to start any negotiation. Our policy is clear. If we are going to help someone, they have to ask for it," she said. Despite the recent hostilities between India and Pakistain, and the border skirmish along the line of Control, the Norwegian PM said she believes that "military" solutions cannot bring "long-lasting" peace. "Personally, I don’t believe that military solutions solve problem. I believe in peaceful solutions. Participation of women and youth. You can have victory through military activity but you will always have underlying activity. It’s not just in Kashmire, but all places. We see it in Syria too. If there is a solution, it won’t be long-standing." |
| Posted by:Fred |