WASHINGTON, SEPT 07 (DNA) – A senior US Defence official, on Friday, said that Beijing can play a “constructive” role in de-escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors, Pakistan and India, which have rapidly escalated after New Delhi’s illegal move to abolish the special constitutional rights of the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

Addressing a Defence Day event at the Pakistan embassy, Assistant Secretary of Defence Randall Schriver noted that the cooperation between the armed forces of Pakistan and the United States is “one of the strongest pillars of our relationship”.

Mr. Randall Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defense was invited as the Chief Guest on the occasion of Defence Day celebrations in the Pakistan Embassy in Washington.

The US Assistance Secretary of Defence, Randall Schriver, responded to a question on China’s role in preventing yet another Pak-India war to ensure stability in the subcontinent. Schriver said, as cited by Dawn, “We will see if the Chinese will be constructive in this area. They certainly can choose to be, given their interest there.”

US Assistant Secretary of Defence Schriver has been tasked by the Pentagon to oversee the Asia-Pacific region. Schriver observed that the United States and Beijing are embroiled in a competition for influence across the South Asian region.

He observed that Washington has entered into an alliance with New Delhi in an attempt to undermine the burgeoning influence of China across the Asia-Pacific region. This agenda explains Washington’s increasing proximity with India.

Schriver said, “I think, the Chinese are, in many ways, engaged in competition with the United States and it plays out in a variety of ways, mostly for us, in the Indo-Pacific maritime areas,” The US Acting Assistance Secretary of Defence noted that often, Beijing  “choose to take a competitive stance where visa-a-vis we are.”

Underscoring Washington’s agenda to diffuse tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, the US Defense official added, “Our hope is that any differences, political differences, could be worked out through dialogue. We will continue to convey that message to all parties.”

Responding to a question on the possibility for yet another war between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Schriver noted that Washington wants the situation to “remain peaceful”.

He observed that the Trump administration wants both India and Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues through diplomatic channels.

He said, “That’s our hope and expectation that things become peaceful.”

He added that the senior US leadership at the White House and the State Department is leading Washington’s efforts to maintain peace and stability across South Asia.

Schriver said, “And I think they have conveyed that our hope is that those issues can be worked out between India and Pakistan.”

Commenting on a question about the escalated human rights violations and heinous atrocities committed by the Indian occupation forces in Kashmir, Schriver said, “We have certainly expressed our interest in seeing humane treatment of the people there.”=DNA

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