Krishna arrives in Kabul; to meet top Afghan leadership - 2011

ejazr

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http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4780411

Kabul, Jan 8 (PTI) Amid its concern over the transition process in Afghanistan, India will seek clarity on a host of issues including President Hamid Karzai''s proposed move to reintegrate Taliban and how the entire process will be implemented.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who arrived here today on a two-day visit, will hold talks with Afghan leadership during which he will also discuss security of Indian nationals and reiterate India''s commitment for the reconstruction of the war-torn country.

"I look forward to detailed consultion... on further broadening and deepening our bilateral relationships and on regional and international issues of mutual interest," said Krishna, who arrived here on his third visit to Afghanistan.

This is first high-level meeting between New Delhi and Kabul after the last month''s US review of the situation in Afghanistan.

Krishna, who will hold talks with his counterpart Zalmay Rassoul tomorrow before meeting President Hamid Karzai, is expected to also underline the importance of India''s role in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.

India has pledged USD 1.3 billion for reconstruction activities.

Krishna is meeting today First Vice President Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Second Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili and Speaker of the House of the People Mohammmad Yonus Qanooni.

Sources indicated that India would like to know how this whole transition process is going to play out and will see clarity on proposed move to reintegrate Taliban.

According to the US assessment report "Overview of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Annual Review", America was still on course to begin troop withdrawal from Afghanistan as soon as July 2011 and continue to move towards the goal of having Afghans take the lead in security in the country in 2014.

Given India''s reservation to proposed reintegration of the Taliban, Krishna is also expected to reiterate New Delhi''s position on ''Afghan-led and Afghan-owned'' peace deal.

Krishna''s visit also comes amidst Afghanistan government''s move to enlist Islamabad''s help to broker peace with the Taliban. .
 

Tshering22

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Afghan government at the moment is a swing government with Karzai swiveling in all directions and confusing all the enemies and allies alike. The man has been pretty unstable in the last 2 years, expressing closeness with Pakistan 3 times, friendship with India 3 times and venting his spleen on US 4 times. Considering the money spent and work we did in Afghanistan, GOA should be staunch pro-India and openly India friendly. A fear or apprehension from Pakistan is an unsubstantiated excuse since in case GOA did show itself too warm to us, any terrorist attack by Pakistan would put them in even more negative limelight than it is in right now. This is why Karzai need not have been so ambiguous.

Looking at this sort of reaction, I don't think putting more of our money on the line would be a viable option UNTIL we are sure that Taliban never returns. And to get a 100% assurance of the latter, Pakistan as a state must collapse, which is not going to happen at least till this decade end. So pledging more money is simply showing off which would be instead used to alleviate poverty here in India.
 

SHASH2K2

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KABUL: With India raising concern over Pakistan's increasing involvement in Afghanistan's transition process, President Hamid Karzai on Sunday assured visiting external affairs minister S M Krishna that his government will not make any move that is detrimental to New Delhi's interest.

Karzai sought to allay India's concerns during his meeting with Krishna, who is here on a two-day visit.

The Afghan President assured Krishna that India was "uppermost" on his government's priorities and appreciated New Delhi's contribution to the post-war reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in his country.

He said the Afghan government would not act in any way that is detrimental to India's interests, official sources said.

India, which has pledged USD 1.3 billion to the reconstruction projects in Afghanistan, has repeatedly expressed apprehensions over Pakistan's involvement in the transition process and over giving Taliban representation in the government.

Besides Karzai, Krishna also met his Afghan counterpart Zalmay Rasool, national security advisor Rangin Dadfar Spanta and former president Burhanuddin Rabbani, who recently led an Afghan delegation to Pakistan to hold discussions over the peace process.

During the Afghan delegation's meetings with the top Pakistani leadership, the two countries decided to set up a high-powered joint consultative commission to take forward the peace process in Afghanistan.

Rabbani briefed Krishna on the outcome of his visit to Islamabad, sources said.

Earlier, addressing a joint press conference with Rasool, Krishna had said that any "external" interference in the transition process of Afghanistan will be detrimental to both its success and the future of the people of Afghanistan, though he did not directly name Pakistan.

Rasool, on his part said, that the peace process cannot succeed without being led by the Afghan people and noted that the process was fully controlled by it.

The two leaders held extensive talks on issues like terrorism in the region, security of Indians and various economic projects.

"Any external interference in the reintegration process would be detrimental to its success and for the future of democratic, stable, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan," Krishna said.

The external affairs minister also asserted that despite security concerns, India will continue to provide developmental assistance as long as the Afghan government wants. He also noted that Afghanistan government has assured India of full security.


Read more: Will not do anything detrimental to India's interest: Karzai - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-Karzai/articleshow/7249095.cms#ixzz1AZlvJcbE
 

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