§ Mr. HendrickTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the UK's role in relation to the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. [69498]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienAs my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear in the House on 25 June 2002,Official Report, column 728, this is at root a bilateral matter, which can be resolved only by direct dialogue between the parties. We welcome the lowering of tensions but remain deeply concerned about the military mobilisation on both sides of the border. We will remain fully engaged in seeking further de-escalation and encouraging India and Pakistan to work towards a lasting settlement of all their differences, including Kashmir.
As part of this engagement, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence visited the region on 23 July, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be visiting again later this week. The purpose of both visits is to encourage dialogue between India and Pakistan.