Trumps uncalled for assertions to pollute peace efforts in Afghanistan: former Diplomat
PESHAWAR, (MILLAT ONLINE):Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan, Rustam Shah Mohmand said here on Tuesday
that uncalled for assertions of US President Donald Trump would pollute peace
efforts in Afghanistan.
In an exclusive talk with APP, he said the US President’s anti Pakistan remarks in
yesterday’s tweet had showed his deep sense of frustrations after his country’s failure
to establish peace in that war ravaged country.
Rustam Shah said such irrational statements would add difficulties for US State
Department besides creating distrust and suspicions among allies.
It is an acceptable practice in diplomacy that if any country has any problem should
raise it through diplomatic channels rather than through social media and tweets.
He said Pakistan and China were moving further closer after billions’ dollars of investment
under CPEC that had apparently unnerved the world supper power.
The former diplomat observed that new US strategy for Afghanistan reflected that US
did not want to leave that country for long time in a bid to counter increasing
Chinese presence in central and south Asian regions.
The US administration from day one was influencing the
Pakistan regimes to avoid getting close to China through the economic corridor
and had made fruitless efforts with connivance of India to keep away Pakistan
from China.
He said Islamabad had time and again told US administration in clear terms that
“we need trade not aid.”Mohmand maintained that Pakistan is fully capable to
defend its sovereignty and argued that Pakistan must improve its ties with
India.
To a question, the former diplomat said contents of Trump’s tweet mostly contain
his personal views and has nothing to do with State Department’s stance. However,
he added that such remarks by President
Trump have in fact put US State Department in a state of disarray.
The former diplomat suggested accelerating diplomatic
channels with US administration to bridge the gap arisen between the two
nations.
Pakistan and US are allied partners for the last 70 years
which saw many ups and downs in their diplomatic relationship and their close
cooperation was imperative to bring stability and durable peace to Afghanistan