WASHINGTON: The US today put the onus on India and Pakistan to work out their differences through talks, a day after the two neighbours expelled a staffer each from the other country's High Commission amid escalating tensions.
"We've seen the reports of these decisions. These are sovereign decisions that nation-states make, and these are issues that we're going to leave to India and Pakistan to work out," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference.
"These are issues that we believe India and Pakistan need to discuss, need to talk about, need to work out between themselves," Kirby said.
Amid growing strains in relations, India and Pakistan yesterday declared a staffer each at their High Commissions in New Delhi and Islamabad 'persona non-grata' and sought their recall in tit-for-tat action after Indian police busted an ISI-run spy ring involving an employee of the Pakistani mission.
India declared the Pakistani High Commission staffer as persona non-grata for espionage activities after he was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.
Hours later, Pakistan declared an official of the Indian High Commission persona non-grata over his activities that were in alleged violation of the Vienna Convention and the established diplomatic norms.