Beijing and Moscow have come to Pakistan's defense in light of President Donald Trump's Afghan and Pakistan strategy unveiled on Monday.
After China's strong message defending Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and asking the global community to acknowledge its sacrifices in war against terrorism, Russia has echoed similar sentiments following US President Donald Trump's allegations that Pakistan was offering safe haven to terrorists.
Russian Presidential Envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov slammed Trump's Pakistan strategy and insisted that Islamabad is "a key regional player to negotiate with."
"Putting pressure [on Pakistan] may seriously destabilize the region-wide security situation and result in negative consequences for Afghanistan," the presidential envoy to Kabul told Russia's 'Afghanistan' daily.
Earlier in a phone call to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi urged the US to value Pakistan's role in Afghanistan.
"We must value Pakistan's important role on the Afghanistan issue, and respect Pakistan's sovereignty and reasonable security concerns," the diplomat said.
Trump, in his first address to the nation as commander-in-chief on Monday, lambasted Pakistan for 'harboring militants'.
"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting," he said, warning that vital aid could be cut. "That will have to change and that will change immediately."
In reaction to Trump's speech, Pakistan's Ambassador to United States Aizaz Ahmad has reaffirmed Pakistan's stance that, 'there are no safe havens for terrorists in Pakistan'.
He also regretted the US failure to acknowledge the huge sacrifices of Pakistan in the war on terror. Similar statement was also issued by the country's Foreign Office which also reasserted Pakistan's continuous efforts in combating terrorism.
Russia says Trump's new strategy is 'dead end'
Moscow believes that Washington's bet on using of force in U.S. President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan is "a dead end", Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference on Thursday (August 24).
"The main emphasis in the new strategy, which was announced by Washington, is made on settlement through use of force " we believe that it's a dead-end approach," Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters.
His comments were echoed in a news conference held in Moscow by the foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova who likewise criticized the focus on a "military solution to the Afghan issue, including through beefing up foreign military contingents."
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