The United States on Thursday agreed with India that President Donald Trump’s new strategy on Afghanistan would work only when Pakistan is made to fight all terrorists without any distinction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed to the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Washington must prod Islamabad to stop exporting terror to the neighbouring countries and shut down sanctuaries to terrorists in Pakistan if it wanted to make Trump’s new strategy on Afghanistan work.
Tillerson acknowledged that “too many terror organisations” found a “safe place” in Pakistan. “Secretary Tillerson and I agreed that we will have to work closely to ensure that no country provides safe havens for terrorists, and those which provide support to terrorists or use terrorism are held accountable,” Sushma Swaraj said after a meeting with the US Secretary of State at the Ministry of External Affairs’ headquarters in New Delhi.
“We agreed that Pakistan should take immediate steps to dismantle the safe havens, which have been established in its territory for the terrorist organisations. We believe that effective action by Pakistan against all terrorist groups without distinction is critical to the success of the new strategy of President Trump,” Sushma said, addressing a news conference along with Tillerson.
Trump on August 22 made public the new strategy on Afghanistan in particular and South Asia in general.
Tillerson also called on Modi, who took note of Trump’s new South Asia policy and underlined the “commonality in the objectives of eradicating terrorism, terrorist infrastructure, safe havens, and support, while bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan”.
Tillerson said the US was trying to put in place a mechanism with Pakistan, not only for sharing of information on terrorists, but also for action against terror organisations, particularly to deny them the ability to launch attacks against other countries.
Tillerson said the US was ready to support India’s emergence as a major power in Indo-Pacific and its capability to provide security in the region.
DH News Service
