From Pak to Taiwan, Trump’s phone calls upsetting diplomacy: NYT

New York, December 3

US President-elect Donald Trump’s call to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could “upset the delicate balance” of India-Pakistan ties, the New York Times said as it sounded a critical tone of him breaking decades of diplomatic practice in freewheeling calls with foreign leaders.

“President-elect Donald J Trump has broken with decades of diplomatic practice in freewheeling calls with foreign leaders,” the New York Times said as the next leader of the US upset the status quo in his conversations with world leaders.

In an unprecedented break from diplomatic practice and a move that irked China, Trump spoke with Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen, becoming the first president or president-elect to speak with a Taiwanese leader since at least 1979, when Washington had severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan as part of its recognition of China.

“Should Trump follow through, he risks alienating India, which sees Pakistan as a major antagonist, and appearing to reward Pakistan’s behaviour; should he renege, he risks upsetting Pakistani leaders who are sensitive about perceived American intransigence. Either way, the call could upset the delicate balance of India-Pakistan ties, which the US has struggled to manage amid a history of wars and recent skirmishes,” the New York Times said.

On Trump’s conversation with Ing-wen, NYT said the call “risks infuriating China”, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province governed by Chinese rebels.

“By honouring the Taiwanese president with a formal call, Trump’s transition team implicitly suggests that it considers Taiwan an independent state,” it said.

In a December 2 conversation with Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines, Trump invited him to visit Washington. NYT said Duterte has been accused of gross human rights abuses, had used abusive language against President Barack Obama and declared his country’s “separation” from the US during a recent trip to Beijing.

“Honouring Duterte with a presidential invitation implies US approval of his behaviour, which Obama’s administration had been working to curb,” NYT said.

Trump also praised Kazakhstan’s leader Nursultan Nazarbayev for “fantastic success”, in tones that suggest approval for Nazar-bayev’s strongman rule.

The NYT further said that after brushing off the United Kingdom, Trump offered a casual invitation to British Prime Minister Theresa May. “If you travel to the US you should let me know,” he told her, far short of a formal invitation. Trump also met with Nigel Farage, former leader of the fringe UK Independence Party — a “slap to May”, NYT said. — PTI