Pakistan Supports Efforts to Restore Peace, Stability in Afghanistan

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, Trump presented a new integrated strategy for the United States' South Asia policy. During his speech, the US leader called out Pakistan for frequently providing terrorists with "safe havens," saying that Islamabad could either benefit from its partnership with the United States in Afghanistan or lose out if it supported terrorists.

"The Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan's perspective and desire for peace and stability in Afghanistan," the statement said.

The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a separate statement Tuesday that US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale had held a telephone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif in course of which Hale briefed the Foreign Minister about Trump's latest statement on the US policy review on South Asia and Afghanistan. Asif, in his turn, underlined Pakistan's continued desire to work with the international community to eliminate the menace of terrorism.

The United States and its allies launched a military operation in Afghanistan in 2001 following 9/11 terror attacks. The mission in Afghanistan ended in 2014. On January 1, 2015, NATO announced its new mission in the country, called Resolute Support, to train and assist the Afghan security forces. More than 8,400 US troops remain in Afghanistan with an additional 5,000 NATO forces.