[VIDEO] "If both (Pakistan and India) want, I am ready to do it" : President Donald Trump

[MenInG]

[utube]OvJX8tCCAak[/utube]


Prime Minister Imran Khan is meeting US President Donald Trump in New York City ahead of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly opening on September 24.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Prime Minister Imran ahead of their meeting, Trump once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue.

"If I can help, I will certainly help," he said. "If both (Pakistan and India) want, I am ready to do it."

The US president said he has a "very good relationship" with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as with Prime Minister Imran. He said he has never failed as an arbitrator in the past and would be available to help if asked.

Avoiding to directly answer a question about UN resolutions on Kashmir, Trump reiterated that he is ready to play his role in South Asia if both India and Pakistan are willing.

Speaking about the US-Pakistan relationship, Trump said: "Before me, Pakistan was treated badly. I did trust Pakistan."

"I can trust the person here," he added, pointing to Prime Minister Imran.

The meeting — which started after 10pm and is reported to be the first of two between the leaders during the UN session — follows a "Howdy, Modi!" rally in Houston on Sunday in which the US president and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a stage and showered each other with praise.

Trump and Imran last met in July at the Oval office. During their first one-on-one interaction, the US president had expressed his willingness to mediate between India and Pakistan to resolve the 70-year-old Kashmir dispute — an offer he has repeated but has been rejected by India.

Tensions between India and Pakistan reached a feverish pitch on August 5, when New Delhi unilaterally annexed occupied Kashmir, revoking a constitutional guarantee that gave a special status to the disputed territory. A strict lockdown and communications blackout was imposed in the region that has snapped off ordinary people's internet and mobile telephone service across much of occupied Kashmir. It has now entered its 50th day.

President Trump’s recent comments on Kashmir and India-Pakistan relations have triggered speculations about an indirect dialogue between the two South Asian neighbours during the UNGA, with Washington playing the role of a facilitator.

Last week, President Trump told reporters at a White House briefing that “a lot of progress” has been made in defusing India-Pakistan tensions and his statement has strengthened these speculations.

After it was confirmed that Trump would meet both Indian and Pakistani prime ministers before and during the UNGA, diplomatic observers in Washington said the possibility that he may use the meetings to discuss the situation in Kashmir is stronger than ever before.

'Mission Kashmir'
Prime Minister Imran, who has declared himself an ambassador of Kashmiris, spent the second day of his seven-day visit to the United Nations briefing US lawmakers, scholars, human rights activists and the media on the repercussions of the Indian annexation of the disputed Kashmir valley.

The lawmakers who called on the prime minister on Sunday included US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Chair*man of the Senate Judiciary Committee Lindsey Graham.

Senator Graham was also among those four US senators who wrote a letter to President Trump last week, asking him to take immediate action to end deepening humanitarian crisis in occupied Kashmir.

Premier's engagements
Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Prime Minister Imran on Monday spoke at an event at the think tank, Council on Foreign Relations. He will address the UN Climate Change Summit and the Summit on Universal Health Care on the same day.

The premier today also held a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He is also expected to meet China's Vice President Wang Qishan.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also called on Prime Minister Imran in New York today.

On Saturday, the premier met with the founder the Kashmir Study Group Farooq Kathwari during which he urged Kathwari to continue informing the world about India's illegal occupation and human rights violations in occupied Kashmir so that they could see the real face of Modi's government.

On Sunday, US special envoy for Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad had a meeting with the prime minister. The prime minister also met Amnesty International’s secretary general Komi Naidoo and discussed with him the dire human rights and humanitarian situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Imran is due to address the UN General Assembly on September 27. He has already announced that he will highlight the Kashmir issue in his address, exposing the ethical and legal bankruptcy of India’s annexation of occupied Kashmir.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1506885/trump-says-ready-to-mediate-on-kashmir-if-both-pakistan-india-want

 

[Ronaldo7]

I saw Indians celebrating coz they thought Trump was calling out Pakistan when he said he'll eradicate Radical Islamic terrorism.
Trump just clarified that he was talking about Iran not Pakistan. LOL

 

[Birdman]

I saw Indians celebrating coz they thought Trump was calling out Pakistan when he said he'll eradicate Radical Islamic terrorism.
Trump just clarified that he was talking about Iran not Pakistan. LOL

Obama did that when he killed OBL, the most known Islamic Terrorist to the Americans, in a Military town in Pakistan.

 

[ahsan17]

Obama did that when he killed OBL, the most known Islamic Terrorist to the Americans, in a Military town in Pakistan.

What were Indians celebrating?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Trump pointing out Modi aggressive and his followers loved it. In other words Indians love their extremist leader because they are same.

 

[Mueez]

Whilst there are loads of things to do in Pakistan by Imran, he has regained the lost dignity of ours back in Foreign Affairs.

 

[Birdman]

What were Indians celebrating?

I am not a spokes person for all Indians, also how would I know the reason why some random people are celebrating?

 

[The streak is Alive]

What were Indians celebrating?

Question to you - what are you celebrating? You do know that the dispute is effectively bilateral once more, right?

 

[CanadianG00se]

Trump is playing smart and trying to be on good books on both sides. He Offered to help if both parties approach him. But he knows very well that won’t happen as India is against mediation. In short, I want to help but I’m sorry I can’t help unless he ask for it too.

IMO this is exactly what India lobby would have liked too that Trump doesn’t interfere.

 

[ahsan17]

I am not a spokes person for all Indians, also how would I know the reason why some random people are celebrating?

The post you quoted initially, it explicitly mentioned what was being celebrated. Then you mentioned some anecdote that was irrelevant.

 

[Varun]

Who are the donuts running India and Pakistan and crying to Trump of all people to play teacher?

 

[IMMY69]

Obama did that when he killed OBL, the most known Islamic Terrorist to the Americans, in a Military town in Pakistan.

Birdbrain, Perhaps watch the full IK interview then comment.

 

[Pete Rose]

Who are the donuts running India and Pakistan and crying to Trump of all people to play teacher?

A generation of ivy league educated think tankers and ppl with long storied careers in diplomacy and academia are trying to spin the thoughts of a herpes-addled senile buffoon who says one thing one day and then something completely opposite the next day.

 

[Napa]

Trump is playing smart and trying to be on good books on both sides.

Precisely. I would hazard a guess that Trump really wants to tell IK to take a hike, given that he is beyond upset with Pakistan for giving arms to the Taliban that kills US soldiers. However, as long as the US is in Afghanistan, Trump needs to maintain a decent relationship with Pakistan, so he will mouth platitudes to pacify IK.

 

[Napa]

A generation of ivy league educated think tankers and ppl with long storied careers in diplomacy and academia are trying to spin the thoughts of a herpes-addled senile buffoon who says one thing one day and then something completely opposite the next day.

FYI, 60% to 95% of the world's adult population has herpes

https://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/30/4/119

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Trump assuring people he respects both leaders, aka status quo remains.

 

[Pete Rose]

FYI, 60% to 95% of the world's adult population has herpes

https://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/30/4/119

I think that proves might even more

 

[Pete Rose]

Precisely. I would hazard a guess that Trump really wants to tell IK to take a hike, given that he is beyond upset with Pakistan for giving arms to the Taliban that kills US soldiers. However, as long as the US is in Afghanistan, Trump needs to maintain a decent relationship with Pakistan, so he will mouth platitudes to pacify IK.

I don’t think so. All serious watchers of diplomacy no that the image of Pakistan has been in tailspin from Kargil onwards - The last two Democratic Presidents have kept Pakistan at an arms length. In policy circles and in the state department there was no India-Pak desk. It was Af-Pak. Think tankers built their careers on India being a strategic partner for the next century as a counterweight to China. The fact that we are now back India-Pak even if it’s for optics and not really on substance, that’s an improvement.
I don’t think there’s any particularly strategic about Trump but he is a short term thinker. India has nothing to offer - although if they buy some stuff from the farming belt states, they will help his electoral prospects. Pakistan has a few things to offer in the short term.
But I get immense joy from watching Indophile think tankers choke on their latte as this President shreds a decades long project.

 

[Napa]

I don’t think so. All serious watchers of diplomacy no that the image of Pakistan has been in tailspin from Kargil onwards - The last two Democratic Presidents have kept Pakistan at an arms length. In policy circles and in the state department there was no India-Pak desk. It was Af-Pak. Think tankers built their careers on India being a strategic partner for the next century as a counterweight to China. The fact that we are now back India-Pak even if it’s for optics and not really on substance, that’s an improvement.

Thanks for your reply

Nothing has changed on "India being a strategic partner for the next century as a counterweight to China". The only thing different is that unlike Bush and Obama who were content kicking the Afgan can down the road, Trump wants to end America's longest war.

I don’t think there’s any particularly strategic about Trump but he is a short term thinker.

Trump's critics always underestimate him. One doesn't build successful brands in multiple industries (real estate, hospitality and media) without being very smart. Anyway, if you wish to continue thinking he is not smart, that's your self-indulgence.

India has nothing to offer - although if they buy some stuff from the farming belt states, they will help his electoral prospects. Pakistan has a few things to offer in the short term.

The US mainstream media keeps bleating that Trump is a fool who is ruining the world and is isolated internationally. Such events break that narrative.

In the short term having India on his side also means that a lot of Indians (the richest ethnicity) in the US will donate to his re-election or at least not donate to his opponent. In the longer term an alliance between the world's largest democracy with a growing economy and the world's most powerful democracy offers benefits too numerous to enumerate.

Ind-Pak is not a zero sum game for most Indians and Pakistanis, especially the common citizens.

 

[MP2011]

lol, back to square one.....

If only hugplomacy and tamashas had the ability to replace the real diplomacy....

 

[MenInG]

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday met US President Donald Trump in New York City ahead of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly opening on September 24.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Prime Minister Imran ahead of their meeting, Trump once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue.

"If I can help, I will certainly do that," he said. "If both (Pakistan and India) want, I am ready, willing and able to do it."

The US president noted that Kashmir's was a complex issue that had been going on for a long time, but emphasised that arbitration could not be carried out unless both parties involved welcome it.

Trump said he has a "very good relationship" with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as with Prime Minister Imran. He said he has never failed as an arbitrator in the past and would be available to help if asked.

Avoiding to directly answer a question about UN resolutions on Kashmir, Trump reiterated that he is ready to play his role in South Asia if both India and Pakistan are willing.

Speaking about the US-Pakistan relationship, Trump said: "People in my position have treated Pakistan very badly."

"I trust Pakistan but people before me didn't, but they didn't know what they were doing," he said in response to a question.

White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney (L), National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien (C) and Senior Adviser Jared Kushner (R) attend a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan in New York. — AFP
"I trust this gentleman right here," he added, pointing to Prime Minister Imran.

Trump said he has a lot of Pakistani friends in New York who are "smart" and "great negotiators".

Commenting on Pakistan's progress to counter terrorism, the US president said: "I have heard they have made great progress and I think he (Imran) wants to make great progress."

Asked whether he is concerned about the human rights situation in occupied Kashmir, Trump said: "Sure. I'd like to see everything work out. I want everybody to be treated well."

Without specifying, Trump said he had heard a "very aggressive" statement from Modi on Sunday, adding: "I hope they (Pakistan and India) are going to be able to come together and do something that's really smart and good for both.

"There is always a solution and I do believe that there is a solution."

In his remarks on Kashmir, Prime Minister Imran said Trump heads the most powerful country in the world, which has a responsibility to resolve disputes.

"We look to the US to put out flames in the world," he added.

He said even though Trump had offered to mediate, India was refusing to talk to Pakistan. "In this situation, I feel that this is the beginning of a crisis. I honestly feel that the crisis is going to get much bigger [considering] what is happening in Kashmir," cautioned.

Answering a question, Trump termed Iran as the "number one state of terror in the world".

He said Iran is "doing very poorly". He added when he took office, "Iran was a real threat to the entire Middle East and maybe beyond. And now they are having very very big difficulties to put it mildly."

The meeting — which started after 10pm and is reported to be the first of two between the leaders during the UN session — follows a "Howdy, Modi!" rally in Houston on Sunday in which the US president and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a stage and showered each other with praise.

Trump and Imran last met in July at the Oval office. During their first one-on-one interaction, the US president had expressed his willingness to mediate between India and Pakistan to resolve the 70-year-old Kashmir dispute — an offer he has repeated but has been rejected by India.

Tensions between India and Pakistan reached a feverish pitch on August 5, when New Delhi unilaterally annexed occupied Kashmir, revoking a constitutional guarantee that gave a special status to the disputed territory. A strict lockdown and communications blackout was imposed in the region that has snapped off ordinary people's internet and mobile telephone service across much of occupied Kashmir. It has now entered its 50th day.

President Trump’s recent comments on Kashmir and India-Pakistan relations have triggered speculations about an indirect dialogue between the two South Asian neighbours during the UNGA, with Washington playing the role of a facilitator.

Last week, President Trump told reporters at a White House briefing that “a lot of progress” has been made in defusing India-Pakistan tensions and his statement has strengthened these speculations.

After it was confirmed that Trump would meet both Indian and Pakistani prime ministers before and during the UNGA, diplomatic observers in Washington said the possibility that he may use the meetings to discuss the situation in Kashmir is stronger than ever before.

Nobel Prize
When told that he could get a Nobel prize if he helped resolve the Kashmir dispute, Mr Trump said: “I would get a Nobel prize for a lot of things, if they give it out fairly, which they don’t.”

Mr Trump said he did not know why one of the world’s most prestigious accolades was awarded to his predecessor in the White House Barack Obama in 2009.

“They gave one to Obama immediately upon his ascent to the presidency and he had no idea why he got it. You know what? That was the only thing I agreed with him on,” Mr Trump said.

He said that previous US presidents had treated Pakistan unfairly, but he was not going to do so.

He also emphasised the need to “double, triple and even quadruple” bilateral trade between the United States and Pakistan.

'Mission Kashmir'
Prime Minister Imran, who has declared himself an ambassador of Kashmiris, spent the second day of his seven-day visit to the United Nations briefing US lawmakers, scholars, human rights activists and the media on the repercussions of the Indian annexation of the disputed Kashmir valley.

The lawmakers who called on the prime minister on Sunday included US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Chair*man of the Senate Judiciary Committee Lindsey Graham.

Senator Graham was also among those four US senators who wrote a letter to President Trump last week, asking him to take immediate action to end deepening humanitarian crisis in occupied Kashmir.

Premier's engagements
Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Prime Minister Imran on Monday spoke at an event at the think tank, Council on Foreign Relations. He also addressed the UN Climate Change Summit and the Summit on Universal Health Care.

The premier today also held a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He is also expected to meet China's Vice President Wang Qishan.


Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also called on Prime Minister Imran in New York today.

On Saturday, the premier met with the founder the Kashmir Study Group Farooq Kathwari during which he urged Kathwari to continue informing the world about India's illegal occupation and human rights violations in occupied Kashmir so that they could see the real face of Modi's government.

On Sunday, US special envoy for Afghan peace process Zalmay Khalilzad had a meeting with the prime minister. The prime minister also met Amnesty International’s secretary general Komi Naidoo and discussed with him the dire human rights and humanitarian situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Imran is due to address the UN General Assembly on September 27. He has already announced that he will highlight the Kashmir issue in his address, exposing the ethical and legal bankruptcy of India’s annexation of occupied Kashmir.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1506885/trump-says-ready-to-mediate-on-kashmir-if-both-pakistan-india-want

 

[MenInG]

And expected response from India...

===

After US President Donald Trump's third offer to mediate on Kashmir, with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan by his side on Monday, India said its position - that there can be no third party mediation - is known. The Foreign Ministry urged the media to "wait for tomorrow", when President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet for talks.

Addressing a joint briefing before his talks with Imran Khan, President Trump said if India and Pakistan wanted him to mediate on Kashmir, he was "ready, willing and able".

"If I can help, I will certainly help... If both (India and Pakistan) want, I am ready to do it... I have very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi. I have very good relationship with Prime Minister Khan... I would be an extremely good arbitrator. I have never failed as an arbitrator," said the US President, despite India rebuffing the suggestion twice before.

His latest offer to mediate came a day after he shared a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at "Howdy, Modi!", a huge public event in Houston.

The Foreign Ministry, at a press conference later on Monday, was asked to respond to the fact that "Trump keeps raising the question of mediation, he keeps going back to it."

A Gitesh Sharma, Secretary (West), said: "There is a meeting tomorrow, let us wait for the meeting."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "You are aware of our position. We have mentioned about this in the past. But my request is, just hold on. Hold on for the meeting tomorrow. It's not very far."

President Trump's first offer also came when he was addressing the media along with Imran Khan in July. He had then claimed that PM Modi had asked him whether he would like to mediate on Kashmir. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had then categorically denied that the Prime Minister had ever made such a request.

In August, PM Modi himself made India's stand clear, with President Trump right next to him. "There are many bilateral issues between India and Pakistan, and we don't want to trouble any third country. We can discuss and resolve these issues bilaterally," he said, addressing the media with President Trump before their talks on the sidelines of the G-7 summit.

PM Modi in Houston attacked Pakistan, which is also attending the UN General Assembly and is expected to raise India's decision to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two. Without naming the country, he said they have "made hatred towards India the centre of their agenda. They support terror, they harbour terrorists. Whether it is 9/11 in America or 26/11 in Mumbai, where are its conspirators found? Not just you, the whole world knows who these people are."

At the same event, President Trump vowed to protect innocent civilians from "the threat of radical Islamic terrorism" and said he understood that border security was vital to India, as it was to the US.

On Monday, asked if he agreed with India that Pakistan is a base for terrorists, President Trump said, "I have been pointing much more to Iran". Describing PM Modi's comments on Pakistan at Houston on Sunday as "very aggressive", President Trump, however, added that it was "well received" by the 50,000-strong Indian-Americans who were attending the programme.

On US-Pakistan ties, President Trump said: "People in my position have treated Pakistan very badly... I trust Pakistan but people before me didn't, but they didn't know what they were doing."

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ind...-donald-trump-me-2106046?pfrom=home-topscroll

 

[globalcitizen]

Two things to take away from the meeting

Trump has changed his stance from modi asked to mediate to will meditate if asked. I think
Going forward the situation will be more difficult for Pakistan to get attention on kashmir

Trump still tries to be patient with Pakistan because of Afghanistan situation only. He knows indian govt is very firm of not setting foot in Afghanistan and Pakistan is only solution for trump. It’s like handing someone a problem and running away.
Those taliban terrorists are something to keep far away.

 

[MenInG]

US President Donald Trump during a joint press briefing with Pak prime minister Imran Khan slammed country’s reporters for rhetoric on Kashmir. On Pak reporter’s Kashmir question, Trump said, ‘This is the kind of reporter I like. I like this reporter. Are you a member of his (Imran Khan's) team? You’re saying, what you think.. Let me put that one down as a statement.’ After continuous questions from Pak reporters on Kashmir, Trump asked Imran, ‘Where do you find reporters like this? These guys are fantastic.’

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com....com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TOIMobile