Pak minister misrepresented a Trump handshake as ‘meeting’
MISCHARACTERISATION US officials shrug it off, say there was no meeting
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump only shook hands with Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during a luncheon in New York on Tuesday, the Trump administration said, but Qureshi described it as an “informal meeting” where they agreed to “rebuild” bilateral ties.
“It was a handshake at a luncheon with other world leaders,” a US National Security Council spokesperson said in response to a question about the reported meeting and the conversation that Qureshi said took place with Trump.
The official did not comment on details reported by Qureshi.
“There was no meeting,” a US source said.
That was not how Qureshi described his interaction with Trump.
“I met with President Trump at the reception where I had the opportunity to discuss Pakistan-US relations with him. I requested him to rebuild the cordial relations that we have enjoyed in the past,” Qureshi told state-run PTV.
He was referring to a luncheon hosted by UN secretary general Antonio Guterres.
“President Trump agreed with the view and said that the US intends to rebuild the relations,” Qureshi said, according to state-run APP news agency.
The interaction, which was described as an “informal meeting” was widely reported by the Pakistani media. It was also reported that Qureshi met US secretary of state Mike Pompeo at the same luncheon.
“This was a mischaracterisation of a handshake as a meeting, even if it was called an informal meeting,” said a former Washington-based diplomat who spoke on background to explain nuances of meetings and interactions between officials of two different countries. “It’s against diplomatic norms to do this.”
Qureshi’s interaction was similar to the quick exchange of words and greetings that external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had with Trump at the conclusion of a UN conference on the world’s drug problems on Monday.
After being introduced to Trump, Swaraj passed on greetings to him from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to which the president replied, “I love India, give my regards to my friend PM Modi.”