Modi can handle Pak terror

“In the four months since our government came back, I have had the chance of meeting President Trump thrice and we have held detailed and fruitful discussions on different issues. The continuous engagement and closeness between the largest and oldest democracies is a great sign for a world that believes in democratic values,” the Prime Minister said.

Just as he had done during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, Trump sidestepped questions on Islamabad’s role in sponsoring and supporting terrorism against New Delhi and said Iran should be “at the top of the list” of terrorist states.

Trump made no new offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue, as he had done during his meeting with Khan, and instead said he believed the prime ministers of India and Pakistan could “get together and work something [out]”.

Asked what message he would like to give Pakistan in light of Khan’s past remarks that there are 40,000 terrorists in that country and that the Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence had trained al-Qaeda, Trump replied: “Well, I mean the message is not for me to give, it’s for Prime Minister Modi to give and I think he gave that loud and clear on the other day...He gave a pretty loud message and I’m sure he’ll be able to handle that situation.”

Responding to other questions on the same issue, Trump said he hadn’t heard Khan’s remarks on the Pakistan Army training al-Qaeda and added that “I know this, that your Prime Minister will take care of it”.