U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to swiftly resolve the recent tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The remarks came during the signing ceremony for a Thailand-Cambodia peace agreement held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
“We’re averaging one [peace deal] a month. There’s only one left,” Trump said. “I heard Pakistan and Afghanistan have started up, but I’ll get that solved very quickly.”
Expressing confidence in his personal relationships with both leaders, Trump added, “I know them both—the Pakistan field marshal and the prime minister are great people. I know we’re going to get that done quickly. That one started up just a few days ago.”
Highlighting his track record in mediating global disputes, the U.S. president said, “I just feel it’s something I can do—and I do it nicely. I don’t need to do it, I guess. But if I can take time and save millions of lives, that’s really a great thing. I can’t think of anything better to do.”
The recent border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted after Islamabad urged Kabul to rein in militants allegedly operating from sanctuaries inside Afghan territory. The hostilities were later halted following ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey.
