The United States on Friday said that there is no change inits policy on Kashmir and called on India and Pakistan to maintain calm andrestraint.

“No”, replied State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortaguswhen asked by reporters if there has been any change in America’s policy onKashmir.The US policy has been that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between Indiaand Pakistan and it is up to the two countries to decide on the pace and scopeof the talks on the issue.

“And if there was, I certainly wouldn’t be announcing ithere, but no, there’s not,” the official said in response to a follow upquestion.She said the United States supports dialogue between India andPakistan over Kashmir.“It’s something that we’ve called for calm and restraintby all parties. We want to maintain peace and stability, and we, of course,support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on Kashmir and other issuesof concern,” the US State Department spokesperson said.

India had on Monday revoked provisions of Article 370 totake away Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and bifurcating the state intotwo union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Ortagus said the US was working closely with the two SouthAsian countries.“We have a lot of engagement with India and Pakistan.Obviously, we just had Prime Minister Khan here, not just because of Kashmir.That’s certainly an incredibly important issue and something that we followclosely. But we have a host of issues that we work with India on quite closelyand that we work with Pakistan on quite closely,” she said.US Secretary ofState Mike Pompeo had met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Bangkoklast week.

The State Department spokesperson said the US was closelymonitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Ortagus reiterated earlier statements that the US was notconsulted and informed by India about its decision on scrapping articles 370and 35A of the Indian Constitution.

“There was no heads up given,” she said.Successive USadministrations’ policy have been to encourage India and Pakistan to resolvetheir differences through dialogue.

The Trump administration has insisted that Pakistan needs tocreate conducive conditions for talks by taking irreversible and decisiveactions against terrorist groups operating from its soil.

Meanwhile, after Acting Secretary of State for South andCentral Asia Alice Wells, another senior US diplomat is heading to India.

The visit was pre-scheduled but it would be used to discussthe current issues, Ortagus said.