Key points
- Trump thanks Asim Munir for role in ending war with India
- Says Pakistan knows Iran better than most
- US president says he has yet to decide on Iran
ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he was “honoured” to meet Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for talks at the White House.
President Donald Trump thanked Syed Asim Munir for ending the deadly war with India last month.
The high-level engagement was scheduled at the cabinet room over luncheon, followed by a visit to the Oval Office.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Army’s media wing, President Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio, and Steve Witkoff, the US Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs.
Field Marshal Asim Munir was accompanied by Pakistan’s national security advisor.
During the meeting, the chief of army staff conveyed the deep appreciation of the government and people of Pakistan for President Trump’s constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis, the statement said.
The COAS acknowledged President Trump’s statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.
Regional peace and stability
President Trump, in turn, lauded Pakistan’s ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability, and appreciated the robust counter-terrorism cooperation between the two states. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the field of counter-terrorism.
Discussions also encompassed avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in multiple domains including trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies.
Trade partnership
President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests.
A detailed exchange of views also took place on the prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel, with both leaders emphasising the importance of the resolution of the conflict.
President Trump commended Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership and decisiveness during a period of complex regional dynamics. In a gesture reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir extended an invitation to President Trump, on behalf of the government of Pakistan, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a mutually convenient date.
“Depth of dialogue”
“Although initially scheduled for one hour, the meeting extended for over two hours, underscoring the depth of the dialogue,” the ISPR said.
The engagement marks a significant moment in the ongoing efforts to reinforce the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and the United States, built upon shared objectives of peace, stability, and prosperity, the ISPR said in a statement.
During his interaction with journalists following the key luncheon meeting, the US president said that he had the “honour” of meeting with Field Marshal Munir. The US president maintained that he had invited the army chief to thank him for ending the war with India.
President Trump also appreciated Field Marshal Munir for his dedication and commitment to Pakistan.
“Well, they (Pakistan) know Iran. Better than most,” Trump said following the meeting. He further said that a trade deal was being discussed with Pakistan.
“He (Field Marshal Munir) agreed with me. The reason I had him here was that I wanted to thank him for not going into the war [with India]. And I want to thank PM [Narendra] Modi as well, who just left a few days ago. We’re working on a trade deal with India and Pakistan. These two very smart people decided not to keep going with a war that could have been a nuclear war. Pakistan and India are two big nuclear powers,” he added.
Responding to another question, President Trump said he has not made a decision on how to proceed on Iran, and he will hold a meeting later in the day in the White House Situation Room.
“Extremely influential”
In his remarks ahead of the luncheon meeting, Trump said, “This man (Asim Munir) was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistani side.”
“They were going at it, and both are nuclear countries,” Trump added. “I stopped a war between two major nations,” he said.
The US president, who had a telephonic conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reiterated his statement that he brought the war between the two South Asian powers to a halt.
Trump underlined his role in brokering a deal between India and Pakistan despite New Delhi’s claim that it worked out a ceasefire with Pakistan directly without Washington’s involvement.
“I stopped the war between India and Pakistan. I love Pakistan, and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night, and we will make a trade deal with Modi of India.”
