New Delhi (Sputnik): There has long been speculation that US President Donald Trump might offer to mediate between India and Pakistan. This intensified after Trump used his Ahmedabad address to suggest that New Delhi should promote peace in South Asia through dialogue with its neighbours, including Pakistan.
US President Donald Trump’s comment on Pakistan during his “Namaste Trump” speech in Ahmedabad city on Monday has raised questions as to whether he will offer to mediate between India and Pakistan when he meets Indian leaders in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Over 100,000 Indian people went silent for a moment after Trump described relations with Islamabad as “good” and he went on to describe “big progress” made by Pakistan to combat terrorism. Trump also expressed hope for a reduction in tensions, “greater stability and the future of harmony for all of the nations of South Asia”.
Noting that Trump also mentioned India and America working together on fighting Islamic extremism, Pant says that his comment was not aimed at mediation.
Pakistan’s Role in US-Taliban Mediation
It was evident from the beginning that Pakistan was at the centre stage of peace talks with the Taliban, which aims to end the 20-year-old war in Afghanistan. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that the peace deal would be signed in the presence of Pakistan because it was quite impossible to deliver on it without Pakistan’s participation in the final agreement.
The peace process was suspended after Donald Trump fumed over the killing of 12 people, including an American soldier, in September 2019 ahead of a crucial meeting between the US President, Taliban leaders, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Camp David. Pakistan made strong efforts to release two abducted western hostages from the Taliban in November 2019 in order to resume the dialogue once again.
India’s Stake in Afghanistan
With India having high strategic stakes in Afghanistan including infrastructure development, the Indian side is expected to discuss the possible implications of a US-Taliban Peace Deal on its $3 billion investment in civil infrastructure.
Commenting on relations between the Taliban and Pakistan, he said that both work in tandem in Afghanistan, which means that India will have concerns about not only its own footprints in Afghanistan but also about the future of Afghanistan itself.
The views and opinions expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
0.00 (0%) 0 votes
