Donald Trump studying options for new South Asia strategy: White House

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is weighing his options on formulating a new US strategy in South Asia with the focus on Afghanistan, the White House has said, after the President held a key meeting with his national security team.

Trump would take a final decision on this at an appropriate time, the White House said, without divulging the details of the meeting.

"The President is studying and considering his options and will make an announcement to the American people, to our allies and partners, and to the world at the appropriate time," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement after Trump was briefed by his national security team at the presidential retreat at Camp David, a picturesque presidential resort in Maryland.

Besides the National Security Adviser Lt Gen H R McMaster, the meeting was attended by Vice President Mike Pence, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Director of national Intelligence Daniel Coats, and President's top Adviser on South Asia Lisa Curtis.

Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, attended the meeting through a secured video conference.

The administration has said its Afghanistan strategy will be determined by a review of its approach to the broader region, including Pakistan and India.