U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday and asked him to reduce tensions and dial down the rhetoric with India on the Kashmir issue.
“President Donald J. Trump spoke by telephone with Prime Minister Imran Khan today to discuss the need to reduce tensions and moderate rhetoric with India over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” a statement from the White House read.
In a series of tweets over the weekend, Mr. Khan had called the Narendra Modi government “fascist, racist, Hindu Supremacist” and a threat to Pakistan and minorities in India.
“The President reaffirmed the need to avoid escalation of the situation, and urged restraint on both sides. The two leaders also agreed to work together to strengthen United States-Pakistan economic and trade cooperation,” the White House said.
After call to Modi
The call with Mr. Khan, the second in a span of four days, came within hours of a call between Mr. Trump and Prime Minister Modi .
In addition to discussing the strategic partnership and trade relationship between India and the U.S., Mr. Modi had told Mr. Trump that “extreme rhetoric and incitement to anti-India violence” was not conducive to peace in the region, as per an External Affairs Ministry statement released on Monday.
On Friday Mr. Khan had spoken to Mr. Trump before a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) closed consultation on the situation in Kashmir following India’s abrogation of Article 370 (special status for Kashmir) on August 5.
“Spoke to my two good friends, Prime Minister Modi of India, and Prime Minister Khan of Pakistan, regarding Trade, Strategic Partnerships and, most importantly, for India and Pakistan to work towards reducing tensions in Kashmir. A tough situation, but good conversations!” Mr. Trump tweeted on Monday evening.
