Issued by CEMO Center - Paris
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Trump says Taliban talks have ‘no timeline’

Monday 26/August/2019 - 02:44 PM
The Reference
طباعة

President Donald Trump says U.S. talks with the Taliban are on “no timeline” for reaching a resolution to the nearly 18-year-old war, which has claimed more than 2,400 Americans.

Trump told reporters Monday at the Group of Seven summit in France that the U.S. is talking with the Taliban, the Afghan government and others, but is in “no rush” and has “no timeline” for the discussions.

The U.S. and the Taliban appear to be closing in on an agreement under which U.S. forces would withdraw in exchange for guarantees that Afghanistan would not become a haven for other terrorist groups.

The U.S. is trying to get the Taliban to agree to stop fighting and sit down with the Kabul government, but violence has continued with large attacks in the capital

President Donald Trump has missed a discussion on climate with other world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France.

Trump was scheduled to attend Monday’s session on climate, biodiversity and oceans, but his chair was empty during a portion of the meeting reporters were allowed to witness.

French President Emmanuel Macron says that while Trump didn’t attend, his aides were there.

The president started the morning behind schedule. His meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel was delayed about two hours.

He then met with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he was asked about attending the climate session.

 

He said it would be his next stop and that he wants clean air and water.

Trump is a climate change skeptic who once had claimed it’s a hoax that was invented by the Chinese.

President Donald Trump says he thinks Pakistan and India will be able to work out a resolution over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir on their own without his help.

In July, India rejected Trump’s offer to mediate and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi again told reporters at the Group of Seven summit in France that Kashmir is a bilateral issue. India has long refused outside attempts to resolve the conflict while Pakistan has sought international help.

Trump said Monday that he’s available to help mediate, but Modi told him that he has the situation “under control.”

 

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir. India accuses Pakistan of arming insurgents who have been fighting since 1989 for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with Pakistan. Islamabad denies the charge. About 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

President Donald Trump says there’s been no resolution on the fate of scores of Islamic State group fighters in U.S. custody.

Trump says he’s raising the issue as he meets with leaders attending the Group of Seven summit in France.

He commented during a one-on-one meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The president says it’s unfair for the U.S. to pay to keep these fighters. He says many of them came from Europe — including Germany — and he wants Europe to take them back.

Merkel says her country has already taken in many immigrant families but says the European Union is committed to solving the issue.

Trump also says he hopes not to have to impose tariffs on imports of European autos and auto parts as he has threatened.

President Donald Trump says his private golf resort near Miami is the likely venue for next year’s Group of Seven summit. He says no decision has been made, but claims no other venue under consideration matches what his resort — Trump National Doral — can offer.

This year’s G-7 summit is ending Monday in France and the U.S. is hosting the 2020 gathering of the seven nations.

Trump says the property, which is just minutes from the Miami airport, has a lot of acreage and properties that would allow delegations from each G-7 country to have its own building.

President Donald Trump says he wasn’t surprised when French President Emmanuel Macron invited Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to Biarritz in a bid to open talks meant on lowering tensions.

Trump says he did not want to get into when Macron talked to him about Zarif. He says: “He asked me. I don’t consider that disrespectful at all, especially when he asked me for approval.”

For several months, Macron has assumed a lead role in trying to save the 2015 nuclear accord, which has been unraveling since Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement.

Trump had curtly told reporters he had “no comment” on Zarif’s presence. Officials said the White House was not aware in advance of the invitation to Zarif.

Trump’s comments come Monday as he meets with world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France.

President Donald Trump says serious negotiations with China will begin after the U.S. received two “very good calls” from Beijing.

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