India, Pakistan should engage in meaningful dialogue: US

WASHINGTON: The US has said it wants India and Pakistan to "work through" their differences as it called for a "meaningful dialogue" between the two countries to bring down the tensions.

"On the Kashmir issue, our position has not changed. We want this to be worked out between both sides, the issue of Kashmir," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

"And generally speaking, I mean, we obviously want to see the tensions that exist right now be brought down and for dialogue to take its place -- meaningful dialogue to try to address these issues bilaterally between the countries," Kirby said when asked about the current situation in South Asia.

The United States, he said, wants India and Pakistan to work through their differences.

"There are still differences of opinion that exist between them; and as I said earlier, we want them to work through those differences," he said.

"We have differences with many countries too, and we continue to try to work through them...That's all we're asking, that's all we're hoping, that's all we're expecting for leaders in India and Pakistan to do as well," he added.

The US does not believe "for a minute" that the two countries do not take the challenges before them seriously or the lives and security of their children, Kirby said.