Pakistan was not mentioned in US President Donald Trump's second State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress, though he recognized the 'progress' made in the ongoing peace talks with warring groups in Afghanistan, including the Taliban. This is regarded as a positive change in Trump administration's approach following last year's tirade against Pakistan, allegedly for offering 'safe havens' to terrorists while suspending $ 300 million in security assistance to the country.
"This is, of course, a positive change in the US approach towards Pakistan and the Afghan issue which has been our consistent position, that finding a political solution is the only option available to end the 17-year old war in Afghanistan," said a senior government official while talking to Business Recorder. He pointed out that Pakistan is making 'sincere' efforts to facilitate the US-Taliban talks, after President Trump formally requested Pakistan's help in ending the Afghan conflict through a letter he wrote to Prime Minister Imran Khan in December last year.
Since then, the official added, various rounds of direct talks have taken place between the US and the Taliban while the next round of talks between the two sides is expected to take place in the middle of this month for which the venue is being finalized. President Trump delivered his second State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night and touched upon various issues including troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and Syria, US withdrawal from INF treaty, actions against Iran and on the US-Taliban peace talks.
"I have also accelerated our negotiations to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan. Our troops have fought with unmatched valor - and thanks to their bravery, we are now able to pursue a political solution to this long and bloody conflict," President Trump said.
"In Afghanistan, my Administration is holding constructive talks with a number of Afghan groups, including the Taliban. As we make progress in these negotiations, we will be able to reduce our troop presence and focus on counter-terrorism. We do not know whether we will achieve an agreement - but we do know that after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace," Trump further said.
In his first State of the Union address on January 30, 2018, although President Trump did not directly mention Pakistan, yet he made a reference to countries who opposed his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel which included Pakistan. "Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the Senate just months before: I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Shortly afterwards, dozens of countries voted in the United Nations General Assembly against America's sovereign right to make this recognition. American taxpayers generously send those same countries billions of dollars in aid every year," Trump stated said in his first State of the Union address to the Congress last year.
He further said at the time, "That is why, tonight, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America's friends."
In his new year tweet on January 1, 2018, Trump launched an attack against Pakistan through a tweet, saying: "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools...They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"
According to senior analyst Lt Gen Talat Masood (retd), after using all the pressure tactics on Pakistan for years, there has been a change in the approach of the US administration which is positive, as US has recognized Pakistan's important role in the Afghan peace process.
He further underscored the need for extending support to the ongoing peace process from within Afghanistan as well as from other regional countries including Russia, China and Iran, adding that the process needs to be continued till a viable solution to the conflict is found.
Lt Gen Masood stated that the concern of Kabul administration needs to be addressed, as Taliban remain reluctant to hold talks with the Afghan government.
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