MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with visiting Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi that a direct dialogue between Pakistan and India is needed to build up mutual trust between the two countries, the Russian foreign ministry said.
"The sides discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, regional and international security. Fatemi gave a briefing about Pakistan’s position on the situation in Pakistani-Indian relations. The Russian side stressed the need for a direct dialogue to raise the level of mutual trust between New Delhi and Islamabad," the ministry said.
The sides also agreed on the importance of consolidated efforts against terrorism within international formats, primarily the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Relations between India and Pakistan became strained after the April 22 terror attack in the popular tourist town of Pahalgam (Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir), which killed 25 Indians and one Nepali. The situation further escalated early on May 7 when Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine sites in Pakistan and areas of Kashmir under Islamabad’s control, which New Delhi claims are terrorist havens. Pakistan delivered retaliatory strikes. On May 10, the sides agreed to cease fire and look at reducing their troops in the border areas.