US Secretary of State speaks to Sushma Swaraj, Pakistan PM to discuss new South Asia strategy

Washington: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday spoke with Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani to discuss how they can help in shaping President Donald Trump’s new South Asia strategy. [caption id=“attachment_3959103” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sushma Swaraj. PTI[/caption] Trump is set to announce America’s new strategy in Afghanistan, amid reports that his administration could be mulling a role for India in ending the brutal and costly conflict, the US’ longest war. He will make his first prime-time broadcast to the nation as president at 9 pm (6:30 am IST, Tuesday) to unveil his new plan after a lengthy period of deliberations to end nearly 16 years long war in Afghanistan. Notable to the President’s forthcoming remarks to the nation on South Asia, the Secretary of State spoke over the phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Abbasi, Indian Foreign Minister Swaraj nd Afghan Foreign Minister Rabbani, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement. “The topic was how the United States would like to work with each country to stabilise South Asia through a new, integrated regional strategy,” she said.