The United States has always prioritised sports diplomacy and public diplomacy has long supported sports communication, said Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson for the US State Department.
During his weekly press briefing on Thursday, when asked about India's alleged decision not to visit Pakistan for next year's ICC Champions Trophy, Patel stressed that India and Pakistan could themselves talk about their bilateral relationship.
Speaking on US support for sports diplomacy, Patel said, "Sports is certainly a potent and connecting force ...this department really [prioritises] the role that sports diplomacy has in connecting people."
He further commented that sports connected many people, and was a great way for "human-to-human and people-to-people ties that this administration has really prioritised".
Patel also addressed the Nov 9 terrorist attack in Balochistan. He condemned the "BLA Majeed Brigade’s November 9th bombing at a railway station" and extended condolences to the victims' families, reaffirming Pakistan and United States’ shared interest in combating such threats.
“We have a shared commitment to regional security... we’re going to continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism,” Patel remarked.
Also Read: Pakistan dismisses Track-II, backdoor diplomacy with India on cricket
He added that the US had designated the BLA as a specially designated global terrorist organization.
On Thursday, Pakistan said no Track-II or backdoor diplomacy was underway between Pakistan and India on cricket.
During her weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, while reacting to the matter, said no Track-II or backdoor diplomacy was going on between Pakistan and India on cricket.
In an exclusive conversation with Samaa TV, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the Pakistan Cricket Board was in touch with the ICC regarding India's stubbornness in travelling to Pakistan next year for the Champions Trophy.
It should be noted that India has refused to come to Pakistan to play the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025, after which the PCB and the government decided to take a tough stand against India.
