Washington/Moscow, May 7: World leaders, including UN chief Antonio Guterres and US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and hoped that the hostilities would end “very quickly”.
In retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan, including Bhawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit.
UN Secretary-General Guterres called for “maximum military restraint” from India and Pakistan, saying the world cannot afford a military confrontation between the two countries.
“The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and the international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said.
US President Trump said he hopes that the hostilities will end “very quickly”.
“It’s a shame, he said, adding, “We heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval (Office). I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past.”
“They’ve been fighting for a long time. They’ve been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually, if you really think about it,” Trump said.
Asked if he has any message for the countries, he said, “No, I just hope it ends very quickly.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was closely monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan.
Russia also expressed deep concern at the escalation of military confrontation between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
“We are deeply concerned about the intensifying military confrontation between India and Pakistan after the terrorist attack near the city of Pahalgam,” Russia Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by state-run news agency TASS.
“We call on the parties involved to exercise restraint in order to prevent further deterioration of the situation in the region.
“We hope that the differences between New Delhi and Islamabad will be resolved through peaceful, political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999,” the spokesperson said in a statement in the wake of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The UK said it stands ready to support both India and Pakistan to move towards dialogue and de-escalation.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds described the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as “hugely worrying” and told the BBC that his Cabinet colleague, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, had “reached out” to both countries.
“Our message would be that we are a friend, a partner to both countries. We stand ready to support both countries,” said Reynolds.
“Both have a huge interest in regional stability, in dialogue, in de-escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do,” he said.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney took to social media soon after news of Operation Sindoor hit the headlines in the UK overnight.
“I am deeply concerned by the events in Kashmir tonight and urge calm and dialogue to avoid further conflict,” he said.
The United Arab Emirates asked India and Pakistan “to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace,” according to a statement from UAE Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“His Highness stressed the importance of heeding the voices calling for dialogue and mutual understanding to prevent military escalation, strengthen stability in South Asia, and avoid further regional tensions,” the statement said.
“His Highness reaffirmed that diplomacy and dialogue remain the most effective means of peacefully resolving crises, and achieving the shared aspirations of nations for peace, stability, and prosperity.”
“His Highness further emphasised that the United Arab Emirates will continue its efforts to support all initiatives aimed at achieving peaceful resolutions to regional and international conflicts and mitigating their humanitarian consequences,” it said.
China called on India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint in the “larger interest of peace and stability” of the region and said it will play a “constructive role” in easing the tensions by working with the international community.
“We are concerned about the ongoing situation… India and Pakistan are and will always be each other’s neighbours. They are both China’s neighbours as well… We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Elaborating Beijing’s stand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China “stands ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions”.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said it is following with deep concern the continued escalation between India and Pakistan, and urged both countries “to exercise maximum restraint, give priority to the voice of wisdom, respect the principles of good neighbourliness, and resolve the crisis through diplomatic means”.
The ministry emphasised the “urgent need” to keep communication channels open between India and Pakistan to defuse tensions and address unresolved issues between them through constructive dialogue, “ultimately leading to comprehensive, consensual, and sustainable solutions”. It also reiterates Qatar’s full support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting security, peace, and stability in the region.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the government is following the situation closely while reiterating its condemnation of the terrorist attack in Kashmir last month.
“We are strongly concerned that further retaliatory exchanges will escalate into a full-blown military conflict,” the top government spokesman said at a press conference.
“We strongly urge India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and stabilise the situation through dialogue for the peace and stability of South Asia,” Hayashi was quoted as saying by the Kyodo News. (PTI)
