Russian, Indian foreign ministers discuss Kashmir

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Indian foreign minister said on Wednesday at the talks with his Russian counterpart that Russia has "full understanding" of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"I took the opportunity to tell Minister [Sergey] Lavrov about the recent legislative changes that have occurred in connection with Jammu and Kashmir. On this issue, I saw a full understanding on the part of Russia of India's position that this is an internal issue, which should be discussed with Pakistan bilaterally," Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said at a joint news conference in Moscow.

Jammu and Kashmir is under near-complete lockdown since Aug. 5 after India scrapped the special provisions, according to several rights group, including the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

India blocked communications and imposed strict restrictions to thwart any rebellion while political leaders in the region have been detained as the right groups repeatedly called on New Delhi to lift the restrictions and release political detainees.

From 1954 until Aug. 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir had special provisions under which it enacted its own laws. The provisions also protected the region's citizenship law, which barred outsiders from settling in and owning land in the territory.

India and Pakistan both hold Kashmir in parts and claim it in full. China also controls part of the contested region, but it is India and Pakistan who have fought two wars over Kashmir.

Addressing another regional conflict in Afghanistan, Lavrov and Jaishankar said India and Russia seek for a peace appropriate for all groups of the Afghan society in this country.

Russian foreign minister also voiced concern over influx of the terrorists, defeated in the Middle East to Afghanistan, where they hide using the complicated situation in the country.

"We are providing and will continue to provide assistance in equipping the Afghan army and security forces. They are not yet in a position to act on their own to eradicate the terrorist threat. Such efforts must therefore continue," Lavrov said.

The raging Afghan conflict is in its 18th year, with thousands of lives lost and millions forced to flee their homes. The UN has called for urgent need to seize opportunities for peace in the region.