Home Latest News Saudi Arabia Vows to ‘De-escalate’ Pak-India Tensions

Saudi Arabia Vows to ‘De-escalate’ Pak-India Tensions

by AFP

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. Fayez Nureldine—AFP

Gulf kingdom’s foreign minister says his country will try to resolve differences between neighboring nations ‘peacefully’

Saudi Arabia vowed to “de-escalate” rising tensions between Pakistan and India during a high-profile summit in Islamabad on Monday as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prepares to travel from Islamabad to New Delhi.

The kingdom’s foreign minister spoke at a press conference in Islamabad as Pakistan recalled its envoy from Delhi for “consultations,” the latest development in a fresh diplomatic crisis between the neighbors.

Delhi has vowed to retaliate after a suicide blast that killed 41 Indian paramilitaries in India-occupied Kashmir on Thursday, the deadliest attack in the disputed Himalayan region in decades.

The attack has sparked widespread calls in India for action against Pakistan.

“Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighboring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.

The pledge came as the crown prince, widely known as “MBS,” prepared to head for India later on Monday, at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Pakistan.

Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since independence from Britain in 1947, with both the countries, which have fought three wars, claiming it in its entirety.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack, though the vehicle was driven by a local separatist.

India is garnering diplomatic support after the attack and has vowed to “isolate” Pakistan diplomatically in the international community, saying it has “incontrovertible evidence” of Islamabad’s role. Pakistan has rejected the allegations.

After his arrival late on Sunday, MBS signed $20 billion in investment deals with cash-strapped Islamabad and vowed to free thousands of Pakistani prisoners in Saudi custody. Islamabad is facing a serious balance of payments crisis and hopes the huge deals signed over the two-day visit—seven separate agreements and memorandums of understanding—will boost its struggling economy.

Pakistan has laid on a lavish welcome for the crown prince, including a 21-gun salute, fighter jet escort, and honor guard. He was also due to receive the country’s highest civilian award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, before heading to India to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

MBS is staging a three-country Asian tour just five months after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a fierce critic, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul ignited a diplomatic crisis. After India, he is expected to finish with two days in China on Thursday and Friday.

The Saudis, after initially denying any knowledge of Khashoggi’s disappearance, finally acknowledged that a team killed him inside the consulate, but described it as a rogue operation that did not involve the crown prince.

Turkey said on Friday it has not yet revealed all the information it has uncovered in the case, which launched a global wave of revulsion and tarnished the crown prince’s reputation.

Analysts have said the tour is part of a Gulf pivot to rising Asia as a growing oil market, but also a timely demonstration to the West that MBS is not an international pariah. Pakistan has also been accused by its western neighbor Iran of harboring militants who carried out an attack that killed 27 Revolutionary Guards last week. The Guards’ commander has also vowed to make Pakistan pay.

But Islamabad received a boost from Jubeir, who called Tehran a “chief sponsor of terrorism” during Monday’s live press conference.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a long alliance dating back to the founding of the Islamic republic. However, Islamabad has also tried to walk a fine line by maintaining warm relations with its neighbor—and Saudi Arabia’s regional foe—Iran.

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