“We urge both sides to show restraint and take immediate steps towards de-escalation. The EU reiterates the need for a negotiated, mutually accepted and peaceful solution to the conflict”, declared the spokesman for the European External Action Service (EEAS), Anouar El Anouni, on Wednesday 7 May.
The Indian army declared it had destroyed “nine terrorist camps” on Pakistani territory on the same day in its “Operation Sindoor”. This offensive came in response to the attack on 22 April in Indian Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Pakistan in turn said it shot down five Indian aircraft. Dozens of civilians were killed in the clashes on 7 May.
In this theatre of military operations, “the EU stands ready to engage with all parties for a peaceful resolution of this conflict”, according to the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, speaking on her arrival at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw on Wednesday 7 May (see other news).
“We clearly ask for de-escalation and for both countries to find responses that don’t make matters worse”, added her Latvian counterpart, Baiba Braže.
But for her, condemning acts of violence will not be enough. “I think behind the doors, behind the scenes, interaction clearly helps”, she added, referring in particular to her contacts with her Indian and Pakistani counterparts. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal with Camille-Cerise Gessant)