Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday met US President Donald Trump in New York City on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly commencing September 24.
Briefing 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,” Trump said. “If both (Pakistan and India) want, I am ready, willing and able to do it.”
The US president mentioned that Kashmir’s was a complex issue that had been continued for a long time but stressed the solution for this conflict could not be possible unless both parties agreed.
Trump said he has a “very good relationship” with Indian PM Narendra Modi as well as with PM Imran Khan. He said he has never failed as a mediator in the past and would be available to mediate again if asked.
Dodging a question about UN resolutions on Kashmir, Trump repeated that he is ready to play his part 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 replied to a question.
“I trust this gentleman right here,” he added, referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Trump said he has a lot of Pakistani friends in New York who are “smart” and “great negotiators”.
Mentioning Pakistan’s progress in curbing 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 violation in Indian-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,” Trump added.