Pakistan 'would certainly be' among other countries if Trump plans foreign trip: White House
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had invited the U.S. president-elect to visit Pakistan.
WASHINGTON (Dunya News) - Pakistan will be among the list of other countries if newly-elected US President Donald Trump ever started planning his foreign trip, the White House spokesperson stated.
“When President Trump begins planning his overseas travel, he’ll have a range of places to consider, and Pakistan would certainly be one of them,” White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said when asked about Trump’s signal to visit Pakistan.
“At one point in his presidency, I do recall President Obama expressing a desire to travel to Pakistan. For a variety of reasons, some of them relating to the complicated relationship between our two countries at certain times over the last eight years, President Obama was not able to realize that ambition,” he added.
To a question, the spokesman said he could not give any response on the accuracy and tone of the conversation between US President-elect Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“I’d refer you to the President-elect’s team for more of a description of what the President-elect may have communicated to the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” he told the journalist.
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He further stated that the relations between our two countries, particularly over the last eight years, have not been smooth, particularly in the aftermath of the raid on Pakistani soil that killed Osama bin Laden.
“But this obviously is an important relationship. There have been areas where the United States and Pakistan have been able to effectively coordinate our efforts,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan welcomed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s offer of playing a role in resolution of longstanding issues.
Trump, who spoke with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the phone Wednesday, said he is "ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems," the Foreign Ministry said.
This was the first telephone conversation between the two leaders after Trump’s victory in elections last month.
"We welcome Trump’s desire to play a role in resolution of longstanding issues," Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said.
The Foreign Ministry said the premier had also invited the U.S. president-elect to visit Pakistan.
Zakaria said Nawaz Sharif’s call to Trump was a routine matter to felicitate him on his victory in elections, adding Trump’s visit to Pakistan will be welcomed with great enthusiasm.
He said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with the United States and would continue to work with the new US administration to further strengthen bilateral relations.
