 "U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Reuters")
As the hostilities between India and Pakistan escalate , US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir. According to the Department statement cited by Reuters, the conversation took place on Saturday, with attacks from both India and Pakistan intensifying.
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir earlier today,” the US Department of State said. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Rubio reiterated his calls for de-escalation between the two nations.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in the statement. The post was also shared by the US Embassy in Islamabad.
Rubio’s stance on the matter
On Thursday, when the military confrontation between the two nations escalated, Rubio called Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The American Secretary of State urged both nations to de-escalate the conflict and expressed “US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.”
It is pertinent to note that Rubio is a crucial member of the Trump cabinet since he holds three offices. He is the US foreign secretary, in charge of US foreign aid and is currently the acting National Security Advisor. However, hours after the phone call and the State Department’s press briefing, Vance came out with a different message.
Following Rubio’s call to both the administration, the State Department made it clear that it is against all forms of terrorism.
When a reporter asked Bruce about the State Department’s stance on India’s assertion that Pakistan supports and funds terrorism, she noted that the sentiments are shared by the American side as well.
“Well, obviously that’s the call we’ve been making for decades, and clearly what happened in Kashmir was awful,” Bruce said in response to the question during the Thursday press briefing.
The State Department spokesperson was referring to the Pahalgam attack that occurred on April 22. Terrorists with links to Pakistani terror groups infiltrated a tourist destination in Pahalgam, killing 26 people and sending shockwaves across India. A diplomatic row ensued between the two nations soon after, which ultimately led to military escalation.
In his post, Jaishankar said that he told Rubio that India’s response has been “targeted and measured” and thanked the US for its “commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.” The post itself reflected that the issue of terrorism was discussed by the two leaders.
Meanwhile, Vance took a similar stance to Trump on the India-Pakistan tensions and maintained a distance. Many believe that this can be good news for India, given how the US has been inclined towards Pakistan in past conflicts.