Saudi Arabia backs India-Pak dialogue

Saudi Arabia has welcomed the decision by India and Pakistan to observe a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) and backed a dialogue between the South Asian rivals to address all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute.

The kingdom’s position was articulated in a joint statement issued by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia late on Saturday after a meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. It came against the backdrop of speculation about the role being played by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to foster dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Khan was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7 to 9. Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa too visited Saudi Arabia last week. Both Bajwa and Khan held meetings with the Saudi crown prince and the talks were seen as part of Pakistan’s efforts to normalise strained relations with Saudi Arabia.

The joint statement said the Saudi crown prince “welcomed the recent understanding reached between the military authorities of Pakistan and India regarding ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC), which is based on a 2003 understanding between Pakistan and India”.

It added that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan “emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to ensure peace and stability in the region”.

However, a separate readout issued by the Saudi side on the meeting between Khan and the crown prince made no mention of India or the Kashmir issue.