Several countries including the US and UK Wednesday calledon Pakistan and India to “exercise restraint”.
“We hope that both India and Pakistan exercise restraint,take initiatives that are conducive to promoting dialogue, meet halfway andmake active efforts for lasting peace and stability in South Asia,” China’sforeign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.
European Union (EU) also Wednesday said that rising tensionbetween India and Pakistan has the potential to lead to “dangerousconsequences” for the two countries and the wider region and called forutmost restraint.
European Union Commission Vice President Federica Mogherinisaid in a statement, “Following the recent terrorist attack in Pulwama,tensions along the ‘Line of Control’ between India and Pakistan have escalatedmilitarily during the last days. This has the potential to lead to serious anddangerous consequences for the two countries and the wider region.”
Meanwhile, former prime minister Manmohan Singh Wednesdayvoiced hoped that saner counsels shall prevail between the leadership of Indiaand Pakistan and the two countries will get back to the task of economicdevelopment.
“I do hope that saner counsels will prevail betweenleadership of the two countries and we will get back to the economicdevelopment, which is the basic requirement of India and Pakistan,” Singhsaid.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke separately withforeign ministers of India and Pakistan, urging them to avoid “furthermilitary activity”.
“I expressed to both ministers that we encourage Indiaand Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,”Pompeo, who is accompanying President Donald Trump at the second summit withNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said in Vietnam.
In London, Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain is deeplyconcerned over rising tensions between India and Pakistan, urging both thenuclear-armed nations to exercise restraint to avoid further escalation.
Russia has expressed “serious concern” over theescalation of tensions.
Moscow called on both sides to exercise”restraint”, adding that existing problems should be solved by”political and diplomatic means”.