Trump ‘can’t force’ either side to accept Kashmir mediation

WASHINGTON: The US State Department said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump could offer to mediate between India and Pakis­tan on Kashmir, but cannot force either side to accept the offer — a subtle yet significant clarification of the US position on the decades-old dispute.

“As President Trump has stated, [everyone] has the right to define its own future. He offers his help, and it’s up to whoever he is offering it to, to whether or not they’ll accept it,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce...