WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that his South Asiastrategy announced in August is “working rapidly”.
In a joint media appearance at the White House with Kazakhstan PresidentNursultan Nazarbayev, Trump said, “Our strategic partnership withKazakhstan has advanced my South Asia strategy, which is working andworking far more rapidly than anybody would understand.”
He thanked the Kazakh president for providing crucial support to US forcesin Afghanistan and denying safe havens to terrorists.
“Kazakhstan is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsulaof nuclear weapons,” he said.
“This cooperation has grown even stronger this month during Kazakhstan’spresidency of the United Nations Security Council,” he said. Kazakhastan, anon-permanent member, holds the rotating presidency on the UN SecurityCouncil.
Trump thanked Nazarbayev for his full support for his South Asia strategyincluding his efforts in Afghanistan.
“I greatly appreciate the president’s personal assurances that Kazakhstanwill continue to provide critical logistical support and access for ourtroops fighting ISIS and the Taliban where we have made tremendousstrides,” he said.
“We also appreciate Kazakhstan’s work to train and educate Afghan civilianspecialists and I am grateful for the president’s pledge of additionalsupport to bolster Afghan security,” Trump said.
Nazarbayev is the first Central Asian leader to visit the White House. Thetwo had earlier met in Riyadh and have spoken over phone.
“While the American troops are in Afghanistan, I think it’s the mission ofthe whole world to make sure that Afghanistan is stabilised and it also amission for us as a neighbouring country to see that peace prevails inAfghanistan,” said the Kazakh president. AGENCIES