President Donald Trump renewed his offer to mediate between Pakistan and India on the thorny Kashmir question as he discussed Afghan peace prospects with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, calling him as his friend.
“We’re talking about Kashmir — if we can help, we certainly will be helping. We’ve been watching that and following it very, very closely,” Trump said in Davos, Switzerland where he and Khan are among leaders attending the World Economic Forum.
Trump noted that the U.S. and Pakistan are getting along “very well” as reports suggest that an Afghan peace deal – supported by Islamabad – looks within reach to facilitate reconciliation in the war-hit country.
“We have never been closer with Pakistan than we are right now,” Trump said at the top of the meeting.
An Afghan peace deal will hand President Trump a major foreign policy victory in the reelection year as he would be able to concretize his promise to withdraw American troops at the conclusion of the longest and now deeply unpopular Afghan war.
From Pakistan’s perspective, Kashmir dispute remains a chief security concern in the face of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalistic approach to the dispute and his repression of Kashmiris since revocation of the territory’s autonomous status.
Imran Khan underscored the urgency to address the long-running Kashmir dispute, which has provoked several wars and conflicts between the now nuclear-armed South Asian powers.
“It is good to see you again. Yes, there are issues we want to talk about. The main issue is Afghanistan because it concerns the U.S. and Pakistan,” Imran Khan said.
“Fortunately, we are on the same page. Both of us are interested in peace there and an orderly transition in Afghanistan with talks with Taliban and the government.”
Emphasizing the critical role Washington could play toward addressing Kashmir, Khan said:
“The Pakistan-India conflict is a very big issue for us in Pakistan and we expect the US to play its part in de-escalating the tensions, because no other country can.”
Trump, whose administration has showed signs of reviving the U.S.-Pakistan relationship after initial cut off of aid and damning criticism on the issue of Afghan militancy drawing its support from Pakistani soil.
Trump, who has continued post-9/11 U.S. close ties with India, would not commit to visiting Pakistan in response to a reporter’s question.
“Well, we are meeting right now. I wanted to say hello.”
