No mediation, only bilateral talks: Salman Khurshid differs with Congress on on India-Pakistan 'ceasefire'

NEW DELHI: Even as Congress continues to question govt over US President Donald Trump's claim of brokering a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan, party functionary Salman Khurshid, one of the delegates who will visit world capitals to put forth India's stand against terrorism, diverged from Congress's stand to say there was no mediation by any third party and the pause in hostilities between the two countries was agreed upon through DGMO-level talks.

"There was no interference by anyone (in the understanding between India and Pakistan), there was no mediation. But when such things happen in the world, different people try to send a message. But whatever happened, has happened only between the two nations. When the matter escalated, it was between our two nations. When it ended, it ended between the two nations. It was initiated by the Pakistani DGMO, they said we should end this. We said it should be done if they are ready," Khurshid told reporters after a briefing by foreign secretary Vikram Misri on the outreach.

Khurshid is part of a delegation led by JDU's Sanjay Jha that will visit Southeast Asian nations.

Coming from a senior Congress member, the remarks spell more embarrassment for the opposition party, which has repeatedly cited Trump's claim to question govt's stand that the pause was agreed upon bilaterally and without external mediation.

Khurshid said, "Politics within the country is our right, our duty; it is different. But outside the country, what we have to say is different."