WASHINGTON DC: US President Donald Trump on Friday voiced alarm at the“very dangerous situation” between Pakistan and India following the suicideattack against Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.
“It’s very dangerous situation between the two countries,” Trump toldreporters in the Oval Office.
“Right now there are a lot of problems between India and Pakistan becauseof what happened,” he said.
Trump also mentioned bilateral relations between the US and Pakistan, andsaid Washington has developed a “much better” relationship recentlywith Islamabad.
The US president, speaking at a White House event on trade negotiationswith China, noted that relations had improved over the “last short periodof time” and added that the United States may set up some meetings withPakistan.
US envoys say Pakistan has an important role to play in the Afghan peacetalks.
Taliban representatives are due to meet US special peace envoy ZalmayKhalilzad in Qatar on February 25 in the next round of talks. The Talibanhave refused to allow the participation of the Afghan government, which itregards as a US puppet.
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Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Pakistani ambassador onWednesday over remarks that Afghan peace talks could be affected if Indiaresorted to violence after last week’s deadly attack on Indian paramilitarypolice in occupied Kashmir, for which banned militant outfitJaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) reportedly claimed responsibility.
The Taliban had earlier announced that its team would meet US negotiatorsthis week in Islamabad. The meetings did not take place for reasons thatremain unclear.
Earlier this week, the US president expressed hope for Pakistan and Indiato get along with each other.
Responding to a question regarding Indo-Pak tensions, the US president hadsaid his government is watching the situation. “I have seen it, I havewatched it. I have gotten a lot of report on it. We will have a comment atthe appropriate time.”
“It would be wonderful if they got along. It seems like that was a horriblesituation but we are getting reports. And we will have a statement to putout,” he told reporters at a press conference at the White House. – APP/AFP
