Modi my 'good friend', Munir 'favourite field marshal': Trump

Sharm el-Sheikh: US President Donald Trump played a balancing act at the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh, calling Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir “my favourite marshal,” while also praising his “very good friend,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan and I have to say, my favourite Field Marshal from Pakistan, who is not here but the Prime Minister is here,” said Trump, as he invited Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address the historic Gaza Peace Summit.

In his address, Sharif lavished praise on President Trump, calling him a “man of peace” and renominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Pakistani Prime Minister also thanked the US President and his “wonderful team” for their intervention in the India-Pakistan conflict in May this year.

“Suffice to say, had it not been for this gentleman, who knows, India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers. Had he not intervened with his wonderful team during those four days, the war could’ve escalated to a level where no one would’ve lived to tell what happened,” Sharif said.

In response, Trump jokingly said he didn’t expect that from Sharif.

“Wow! I didn’t expect that. Let’s go home, there’s nothing more I have to say. Goodbye everybody. That was really beautiful and beautifully delivered, thank you very much,” he quipped.

The US President then praised India and his “very good friend” Prime Minister Modi for doing a fantastic job. “I think Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together,” Trump said, while looking at Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who responded with a chuckle.

Prime Minister Modi was also invited to the Summit but chose to skip it and deputed Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh in his place.