<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, "hoping it will lead to de-escalation, peace, and definitive stability in the region."</strong></h4> "I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, hoping it will lead to de-escalation, peace, and definitive stability in the region," the minister wrote on social media. "Spain reiterates its commitment to dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes," he added. India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to an immediate ceasefire, mediated by the United States, after nearly three weeks of tensions and massive attacks against military targets in both countries, which left hundreds dead. The escalation began on April 22, following a terrorist attack against Indian tourists in Pahalgam (Jammu and Kashmir), which left 98 dead. It intensified with airstrikes and ground clashes between the two sides of Kashmir, a region whose sovereignty is disputed by India and Pakistan. Last Wednesday, José Manuel Albares held talks with his counterparts from India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, urging them to "respectfully avoid any type of military escalation" and advocating "for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve differences." The Spanish minister also offered "Spain's mediation to facilitate dialogue bilaterally or within the framework of the United Nations," the Ministry reported in a press release. For her part, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, declared this Saturday that the ceasefire announced between India and Pakistan "is a vital step towards de-escalation" and urged, via social media, that "everything possible be done to ensure its respect."
