President Trump Says Ready To Mediate On Kashmir

WASHINGTON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jul, 2019 ) :President Donald Trump Monday welcomed Prime Minister Imran Khan to the White House as the US leader expressed willingness to mediate on the question of Kashmir and looked forward to developing great relationship with Pakistan and work closely on Afghanistan peace.

Talking to media persons at his Oval office along with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Trump voiced concern over the situation in Kashmir over the last many years.

To a question whether the United States would arbitrate on Kashmir, President Trump said, "I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject and he actually said 'Would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator,' I said where, he said, Kashmir. Because this has been going on for many, many years... I think they would like to see it resolved and you (Imran Khan) would like to see it resolved. If I can help, I would love to be a mediator." President Trump indicated that India would also be willing to accept the US mediation on the longstanding dispute. Kashmir was a beautiful world and it must remain so, he added.

Prime Minister Imran said the United States was the most powerful country in the world which could play an important role in bringing peace in the subcontinent.

"There are over a billion and quarter people in the subcontinent. They are held hostage to the issue of Kashmir," he added.

The US could help bring the two countries closer to each other, he remarked.

The prime minister said for his part Pakistan had tried its best to start a dialogue to resolve the differences. But unfortunately, it could not work as yet.

On Afghanistan Trump said Washington was working with Pakistan for achievement of Afghan peace. He said he fully agreed with Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement that there was no military solution to the Afghan issue and dialogue was the only way forward to resolve the issue.

The prime minister highlighted Pakistan's sacrifices in the war on terror in terms of thousands of lives and billions of Dollars lost to militancy. He said the present process of Afghan peace talks was going through a crucial stage and Pakistan's role was to bring both the Taliban and the Afghan government at the negotiating table.

Imran Khan said that millions of people had been affected by the Afghan war and Pakistan was the worst affected country in the region from the decades old war.

He said Pakistan would be straightforward in its cooperation on Afghan peace.

In response to a question by the APP correspondent, President Trump said he would like to expand trade and economic relationship manifold with Pakistan and added it greatly helped in curbing extremism.

Trump said Pakistanis were talented people and that he had many Pakistani friends in New York.

He said the people of India and Pakistan were smart and there should be peace in South Asia.