How Donald Trump messed up diplomatic etiquette and embarrassed India

There are not too many incidents in the history of US presidencies when a President made foundational agreements turn on their heads with a single frivolous pronouncement. President Donald Trump did more than that on Sunday with his post on social media platform ‘Truth Social’.

First, claiming credit for a breakthrough on the pause in the fighting between India and Pakistan that was announced on Saturday evening, the President’s post read: “I will work with you both to see if, after a “thousand years,” a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir”.

Trump’s offer to mediate to resolve the Kashmir issue goes against the grain of India’s long-held position and as is postulated by the Simla Agreement that was signed on July 2, 1972, between then Indian PM Indira Gandhi and Pakistan President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The Simla Agreement is the cornerstone of India-Pakistan bilateral relations and states that India and Pakistan will resolve all disputes, including on Kashmir, bilaterally, and will not accept any third-party intervention. Till then, international or external mediation was open for solving the dispute. On the other hand, Pakistan had been seeking to amend the agreement into one that seeks third party intervention.

In other words, acceptance of external mediation would mean immense strategic loss for India besides complicating India’s relationship with the US.

President Trump’s assertion therefore negates the Indian position and validates the Pakistani posture.

Secondly, Trump, in at least two posts on social media had claimed credit for bringing about Saturday’s understanding between India and Pakistan to put a ‘pause’ on the military action.

His first post said: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.”

The President’s second post read: “I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision.”

On the other hand, on Saturday evening, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri’s announcement of the ‘stop’ in firing between the two countries had no mention of the US mediation.

On the contrary, sources have told THE WEEK that the “stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries” after the Pakistan DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) “initiated the call” on Saturday afternoon “after which discussions took place and understanding reached”.

It is an international norm that whenever two parties war, back channels and Track 2 diplomatic moves are always afoot to resolve crises but no one usually comes forward to stake claim.

Thirdly, Trump’s pronouncements make him an unreliable partner as in this case, he has jumped the gun and already declared a victory by claiming it to be a “job well done”. Notably, the foreign secretary Vikram Misri had announced on Saturday that DGMOs of both the countries will meet at 1200 hours on May 12 to talk again.

World