Pakistan

Diplomatic implications: Obama’s decision to visit India explained

News Desk January 23, 2015

A senior White House official said that Obama’s decision to not visit Pakistan — who will visit India on a three-day trip next week — is in the interest of all three countries, IBN Live reported on Thursday. Responding to a question whether the White House wrestled with diplomatic implications of Obama not visiting Pakistan and only India, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said, “Frankly, that’s in the interest of all the three countries.” “Considering the sensitivity of the issue, he had called Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to inform him about his decision to travel to India. The president was not able to visit Pakistan in 2011, as was originally planned, given significant bilateral tensions that year, the Bin Laden raid, and a number of other incidents that took place,” Rhodes said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015.

COMMENTS (5)

Ali Nawaz Shaikh | 9 years ago | Reply

In my humble opinion: 1) Obama is a lame duck president!, 2) USA is only interested and self serving strategy to have India on her side due to China factor, 3) Pakistan's recent elections are shrouded with serious rigging doubts, therefore, current government's legitimacy is a serious question mark for US President to visit, this will show a sign of support to Nawaz Shariff, 4) Pakistan has economic and other major crisis, what will US get out of Pakistan? and 5) India has a buying power for defense industry worth billions of dollars, US need this business or else it may go to Russia.

Karachi Wally | 9 years ago | Reply

@Anon: Who said that Pakistan is dependent on India, where did you read this please enlighten us.

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Fbuk | 9 years ago | Reply

Anon, the fact that you are reading a Pakistani newspaper in spite of being an indian is enough to explain as to who is obsessed over who?

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply

Everyone know about Pakistan copying India in every aspect. And everyone knew that Pakistan will get jealous of Obama visiting India. But now this is going too far, Pakistan is getting too much obsessed with Obama's India visit that their every article in every newspaper is about Obama and India. God knows when is Pakistan going to be on its own feet and take its own decision and look into its own matters on its own. Even after 67 years Pakistan still want to depend upon India, that's really weird.

Ahmedi Community | 9 years ago | Reply

I think Obama should have visited Pakistan and spoken against injustice meted out to minorities especially Ahmedis. Americans please raise your voice against Pakistani government for considering us inhuman.

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