Monitoring Desk: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asked India for a de-escalation of the situation between India and Pakistan
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed his concerns during his meeting with Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj in Wuzhen, on the margins of the meeting of the RIC Foreign Ministers Council.
The official statement of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia stated that the Russian side (Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov) expressed hope for a de-escalation of the situation between India and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia in a separate statement released today also expressed concerns in connection with growing tensions in India-Pakistan relations. The statement said:
“We express our serious concern about the exacerbation of the situation along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan and the outbreak of tensions between friendly states.
We call on both sides to show restraint and step up efforts to resolve existing problems by political and diplomatic means.
We are ready to further assist in strengthening the counter-terrorism potential of New Delhi and Islamabad”
It may be mentioned that Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 26, 2019 violated international boundary of Pakistan and entered into Khybar Pakhtunkhawa province in Kaghan valley but Indian jets were intercepted by Pakistan Air Force. In response to Indian action, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) targeted non-military places inside Indian Occupied Kashmir on February 27, 2019 and shot down two Indian Mig 21 fighter jets and arrested one Indian Pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who is now in custody of Pakistan.
