India-Pak Leaders 'Decided' To Stop Conflict, Trump Says For A First Time
For the first time, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (June 18) that two “very smart” leaders of India and Pakistan “decided” not to continue the conflict that could have escalated into nuclear, news agency PTI reported.
Trump made this remarks during an interaction with reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, after he hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House.
Watch | PM Modi Rejects US Mediation, Trade Talks In Call With Trump, Says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
“The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war. And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we’re working on a trade deal with India. We’re working on a trade deal with Pakistan,” said Trump.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and General Asim Munir, Trump said he both “very smart people,” chose to step back from a conflict.
“They were both here, but I was with Mr. Modi a few weeks ago. He was here actually, but now we speak to him. And I’m so happy that two smart people, plus you know, people on their staff too, but two smart people, two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war. That could have been a nuclear war. Those are two nuclear powers, big ones, big, big nuclear powers, and they decided that,” President added.
On multiple occasions, Trump claimed that he “helped settle” conflicts between India and Pakistan with placing “trade” as a tool. This is the first time, he stepped away from taking the credit.
Watch | “Pakistan And India…I Settled It Through Trade”: Donald Trump
The meeting between PM Modi and US President were scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the G7 summit did not happen since Trump had to made an early exit from the summit. However, before returning from Canada and concluding his summit visit, PM Modi held a 35 minute phone call with Trump. According to a media briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told President Donald Trump in the phone conversation that India has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never do it in future.
