Asked about his remarks, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: "We've always welcomed dialogue and better relations between India and Pakistan including on the issue of Kashmir. "But the pace, scope and character of that dialogue are really something for the Indian and Pakistani leaders to decide," Toner told reporters.
President Barack Obama's administration repeatedly has ruled out mediation on Kashmir, after its early suggestions encouraging dialogue triggered a backlash in India. India, with which the United States has warming ties, considers Kashmir a domestic issue. It has said it is willing to discuss all issues related to Kashmir except redrawing borders. Kashmir, a scenic Himalayan territory with a Muslim majority, has been the trigger for two of the three full-fledged wars between India and Pakistan since they were separated at birth in 1947.