Trump heads to UN with long list of deals he's yet to close

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AP Washington
Last Updated : Sep 21 2019 | 9:55 PM IST

President Donald Trump, a self-described deal-maker, is saddled with a long list of unresolved foreign policy deals he has yet to close heading into his UN visit this coming week.

There are challenges with Iran, North Korea, the Afghan Taliban, Israel and the Palestinians not to mention a number of trade pacts. Some are inching forward. Some have stalled.

Trump has said repeatedly that he is in "no rush" to wrap up the deals.

But negotiations take time. He is nearly three years into his presidency and the 2020 election looms, which will crimp his ability to tend to unfinished foreign business.

"I don't blame the president for having so many deals open," said Nicholas Burns, a former undersecretary of state who has worked for Republican and Democratic presidents.

He gives Trump credit for going after China on its trade practices and talking to the Taliban to try to end 18 years of war in Afghanistan.

"But I do think you have to be tough-minded as citizens and grade him," Burns said. "How's he doing? Well, in my book, he doesn't have a single major foreign policy achievement in more than 2 years in office."
In his defense, Trump says: "It's the way I negotiate. It's done very well for me over the years, and it's doing even better for the country."
"Now we have a General Assembly meeting where the president really needs allies on Iran."
In a comment seemingly aimed at Trump, Tillerson said: "If you ever think about a negotiation as a win/lose, you're going to have a terrible experience, you're going to be very dissatisfied, and not very many people are going to want to deal with you."
"We'll see what happens," Trump added. "It might work out. It might not work out."
"They made a mistake," Trump said Friday. "I was totally willing to have a meeting."

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First Published: Sep 21 2019 | 9:55 PM IST

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