Pakistan says US statement over Khan-Pompeo call is ‘fake news’

Pakistan PM Imran Khan and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. (AFP)
Updated 24 August 2018
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Pakistan says US statement over Khan-Pompeo call is ‘fake news’

  • “There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan” — Foreign Office spokesperson
  • Heather Nauert, State Department’s spokesperson said in her press briefing, on Thursday, that State Department stands by the original readout of the phone call

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson has rejected a statement made by the US State Department about the contents of a phone call between Prime Minister Imran Khan and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

“Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by US State Dept on today’s phone call between PM Khan and Sec Pompeo. There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan,” Dr. Mohammad Faisal said in a tweet on Thursday.

The “factually incorrect” statement, which was released by the US State Department, said: “Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and wished him success. Secretary Pompeo expressed his willingness to work with the new government toward a productive bilateral relationship. Secretary Pompeo raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan and its vital role in promoting the Afghan peace process.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said that there was no mention of terrorists in the telephone conversation and demanded that the US government immediately correct the “false statement.”

State Department’s spokesperson, Heather Nauert, said in her press briefing on Thursday, that State Department stands "by original readout of the phone call between Sec. Pompeo and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan."


Ukraine president to meet European allies after Trump criticism

Updated 4 sec ago
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Ukraine president to meet European allies after Trump criticism

  • Talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Miami ended on Saturday with no apparent breakthrough
  • President Donald Trump accuses Ukrainian leader of not reading the US proposal to end the war with Russia

LONDON: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was due to meet with European allies in London on Monday, after President Donald Trump accused him of not reading the US proposal to end the war with Russia.

It comes after days of talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Miami ended on Saturday with no apparent breakthrough, with Zelensky committing to further negotiations.

The Ukrainian president will be received in London by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, along with the German chancellor and French president to discuss the negotiations.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is meanwhile expected in Washington on Monday, where she will meet her American counterpart Marco Rubio.

“The UK and US will reaffirm their commitment to reaching a peace deal in Ukraine,” the Foreign Office in London said, announcing Cooper’s visit.

Moscow has meanwhile continued to strike its neighbor, wounding at least nine people overnight Sunday to Monday, according to Ukrainian officials.

‘Disappointed’

Zelensky said he joined his negotiators for a “very substantive and constructive” call with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during the Miami negotiations.

“Ukraine is committed to continuing to work honestly with the American side to bring about real peace,” Zelensky said on Telegram, adding that the parties agreed “on the next steps and the format of the talks with America.”

But Trump criticized his Ukrainian counterpart on Sunday, telling reporters “I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago.”

Witkoff and Kushner had met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin last week, with Moscow rejecting parts of the US proposal.

French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of Monday’s talks slammed what he called Russia’s “escalatory path.”

“We will continue these efforts with the Americans to provide Ukraine with security guarantees, without which no robust and lasting peace will be possible,” Macron wrote on X.

He added: “We must continue to exert pressure on Russia to compel it to choose peace.”

Hot and cold

Washington’s initial plan to bring an end to the almost four-year war involved Ukraine surrendering land that Russia has not been able to win on the battlefield in return for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO.

But the nature of the security guarantees that Ukraine could get has so far been shrouded in uncertainty, beyond an initial plan saying that jets to defend Kyiv could be based in Poland.

Trump has blown hot and cold on Ukraine since returning to office in January, initially embracing Putin and chastising Zelensky for not being grateful for US support.

But he has also grown frustrated that his efforts to persuade Putin to end the war, including a summit in Alaska, have failed to produce results and he recently slapped sanctions on Russian oil firms.