U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
The United States expects India to increase purchases of U.S. energy products and aircraft so the U.S. trade deficit with the South Asian country is rectified, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday.
"They’re going to buy more energy products from the United States, they’re going to purchase more aircraft from the United States, we truly do appreciate that but the gap will remain," Pompeo told reporters after high-level talks with Indian officials in New Delhi.
"So we are urging them to do all that they can to narrow that gap. And at the same time it’s important that the trade barriers that are there, places that American companies, that American workers products, can’t be sold here be reduced."
U.S. and EU trade chiefs will hold a first meeting in Brussels on Monday to pursue closer transatlantic ties after U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to drop his threat of tariffs on EU cars.European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom will host United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer at the first political level meeting of a new working group, the Commission said on Wednesday.The group, set up after a detente in July, is charged with finding ways to cut tariffs, boost U.S. liquefied natural gas exports and to reform the World Trade Organization. Trade advisers and officials held a first meeting last month.US Secretary of State Pompeo arrives in Pakistan; to meet new PM KhanTrump agreed with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in July to refrain from imposing tariffs on EU cars while the two sides launched discussions to remove tariffs on non-auto industrial products.But Malmstrom said last week that the easing of trade tensions between the two partners had not put to rest "profound disagreements" on trade policy.She also said the European Union would be willing to reduce its car tariffs to zero if the United States did the same.Trump rejected the idea as "not good enough", adding that EU consumers simply tended to buy European rather than American cars. US seeks to expand its military presence in Greece
EU, US trade chiefs to mend ties after Trump tariff detente
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Pakistan on Wednesday for a brief visit on his whistle-stop tour of the region, with the war in Afghanistan and the issue of militants once again set to dominate discussions with Pakistan.Pompeo is next due to visit India, the main stop of his South Asia tour, where he is expected to pile pressure on New Delhi over its purchases of Iranian oil and Russian missile systems in talks with senior Indian officials.In Pakistan, Pompeo will meet new premier Imran Khan and the army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, against a backdrop of tense ties and U.S. military aid cuts over Islamabad's alleged reluctance to crack down on militants.Arif Alvi elected president of Pakistan: unofficial resultsRelations between uneasy allies United States and Pakistan have frayed in recent years, with Washington accusing Islamabad of turning a blind eye or helping Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network militants who stage attacks in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies doing so.A Reuters reporter saw Pompeo's plane land at Islamabad airport just before 1 p.m. (0800 GMT).Pakistan's new foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, said he would "have exchanges" with Pompeo over Washington's cancellation of a $300-million disbursement for the Pakistani military.CEO of Pakistan's national airline steps down on order of top courtTaking a tougher line with an ally that U.S. President Donald Trump considers unreliable, the United States halted the disbursement of Coalition Support Funds due to Islamabad's perceived failure to take decisive action against Afghan Taliban militants operating from Pakistani soil.The United States has withheld $800 million this year, cuts Pakistan says are unwarranted as it incurs expenses in fighting militants who pose a danger to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.Pompeo is also expected to discuss Pakistan's possible plans to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ease currency pressures and avert an economic crisis.Pakistan disputes US claim that it has canceled aidIn July, Pompeo said there was "no rationale" for the IMF to give money to Pakistan that would then be used to pay off Chinese loans, comments that further rattled Islamabad.Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will meet their Indian counterparts in New Delhi on Thursday, and are expected to finalise defence pacts that could bring their militaries closer amid China's rising influence.The talks come as U.S. hostility rises towards India's traditional allies Iran and Russia, on which Washington has placed sanctions. Iran is a big oil supplier to India, and two-thirds of its military equipment is from Russia."They're part of the conversation, they're part of the relationship, they will certainly come up, but I don't think they will be the primary focus of what it is we're trying to accomplish here," Pompeo told U.S. pool reporters en route to Pakistan. US military to end $300 million aid to Pakistan
US Secretary of State Pompeo arrives in Pakistan; to meet new PM Khan
The U.S. military said it has decided to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan over alleged failure to take decisive action against militant groups, state-run media reported.Pentagon is seeking an approval from Congress, Radio Pakistan reported, quoting Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Kone Faulkner.The announcement comes days before U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo's expected visit to Pakistan to meet the new prime minister, Imran Khan.The U.S. blocked $500 million to Pakistan earlier this year, as part of its reimbursement for the country's role in the war on terror in Afghanistan.Relations between the two allies in the war against terrorism have deteriorated since January, last year, after U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office, mainly because of a clash of interests in war-torn Afghanistan.Washington accuses Islamabad of providing a safe haven to the powerful Haqqani network, which is blamed for numerous brazen attacks on foreign forces in Afghanistan.However, Pakistan denies the charges and said it needed acknowledgment of its sacrifices in the war on terror.
US military to end $300 million aid to Pakistan