Eight times Donald Trump offered 'help' to resolve Kashmir issue

The US President Donald Trump is set to visit India on February 24 and has promised to discuss trade deals with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, keeping the possible trade deals aside, the Kashmir issue has also been a topic of interest for the US President.

Trump has brought up the topic of Kashmir with the PM several times and proposed to help “resolve” the issue.

Most recently, on January 21, 2020, during a bilateral meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan at the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Trump brought up the issue saying, “And if we can help, we certainly will be helping.”

However, the line was skipped in the readout issued by the White House.

He certainly has used the thesaurus on this one as the US President has requested the Prime Ministers of both the nations if he could initiate - “mediation”, ”arbitration” or just, “intervene”.

Here is an account of the several times Trump requested to help the two nations:

July 22, 2019: Imran Khan’s first visit to the White House and just 13 days prior to shutting down the internet in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. As Khan made a direct appeal, Trump replied, “If I can help, I would love to be a mediator.”

“It shouldn’t be -- I mean, it’s impossible to believe two incredible countries that are very, very smart, with very smart leadership, can’t solve a problem like that. But if you want me to mediate or arbitrate, I would be willing to do that.”

In a shocker, Trump further said that Modi also asked him, in fact, to arbitrate during their last meeting. The Indian government was quick to respond, saying that Prime Minister Narendr Modi never invited Trump to mediate and that India considers Kashmir a bilateral issue to be resolved by India and Pakistan.

August 1: Trump, who seemed to have been unaware of India’s statement, one again put the motion back on the table, and told a reporter at the White House, “If they wanted somebody to intervene or to help them, and I spoke to Pakistan about that … I spoke frankly with India about it… if they wanted me to, I would certainly intervene.”

August 26: During the G7 summit held in the French town of Biarritz, on the sidelines Trump said, “We spoke last night about Kashmir,” to reporters. “And the Prime Minister (Modi) really feels he has it under control. I know they speak with Pakistan, and I’m sure that they will be able to do something that will be very good. We spoke about it last night at great length.”

And then he went on a roll:

August 29: “I think we are helping the situation but there are tremendous problems between those two countries,” Trump said to reporters, “and I will do the best I can to mediate or do something.”

September 9: “I’m willing to help them,” Trump told reporters in response to a question. “I get along well with both countries very well. I’m willing to help if they want.”

September 23: UN general assembly debates in New York, he once again had an encounter with the Pakistan PM, and reiterated his intention, “ “I am ready, willing and able. It’s a complex issue and it’s been going on for a long time. But if they are both willing then I’m ready to do it.”

And the pen-ultimate offer on September 25: Speaking at a news conference towards the end of his UNGA visit, Trump said, “I offered, whether it’s arbitration or mediation, or whatever it has to be, I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Because they’re at very serious odds right now, and hopefully that’ll get better.”

He even referred Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Imran Khan as his “good friends” and adviced them saying, “Fellas, work it out. Just work it out. Those are two nuclear countries. They’ve got to work it out.”

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit India on Monday, February 24, along with his wife Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump.

Will the Kashmir issue resurface or will Donald Trump understand that India only intends to deal with this bilaterally?

(With inputs from Agencies)