Abbasi, Trump agree on being partner against terror

UNITED NATIONS: Prime Minister ShahidKhaqanAbbasi held a brief meeting with US President Donald Trump here yesterday evening during which the two leaders talked about the need to continue their countries' partnership in the fight against terror.

Abbasi and Trump met at the reception that the latter held for world leaders attending the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at Palace Hotel, New York.

Neither side talked about this meeting until yesterday afternoon when the prime minister disclosed it at the US-Pakistan Business Council's luncheon.

"On the Afghanistan issue, we are working with the US government. We had a very productive meeting with Vice President (Mike) Pence yesterday," Abbasi said.

"I also met President Donald Trump at his reception and we discussed the issue in brief. He was also very positive about Pakistan's role and the continuity of the Pakistan-US partnership to fight terror."

The prime minister further explained this point in his speech at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), New York, on Wednesday evening.

"I think the engagement will continue. And I think any misconceptions will go away. We remain a partner in the war against terror. That's the basic issue at hand here," he said. "We will continue to engage with the American efforts taken to fight the war against terror, and also to find peace in Afghanistan."

Asked if he was willing to "go to an extra mile" to accommodate President Trump's demand for Pakistan to do more, he said: "It's a relationship that goes beyond Afghanistan. It's 70 years old, and we view it in that context. And we are engaged today. We want this relationship to move forward. And I don't see any obstacles in that process," he said.

This is Abbasi's maiden visit to the United States as prime minister, although he spent several years in this country, studying in California and Washington, DC.