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Karzai, Singh for joint efforts against terror

Karzai, Singh for joint efforts against terror

author avatar
12 May 2011 - 19:27
Karzai, Singh for joint efforts against terror
author avatar
12 May 2011 - 19:27

KABUL and India were threatened by the global terrorism and the three countries should work jointly to get rid of the scourge.

“We need to work together for peace and stability in the region,” Karzai spoke at a luncheon he hosted in the honour of Indian Prime Minister, Manmohand Singh, who arrived in Kabul on Wednesday for a two-day official trip to discuss post-Osama scenario.

The event was also attended by senior Afghan and Indian officials accompanying Singh.

The Indian leader on the occasion said that India and Afghanistan should have a strong vision for their future and they needed a clear-cut policy to reach their goals.

Singh is expected to discuss terrorism, regional development and ways to step up India’s assistance to Afghanistan on his first visit to the country since 2005.

Singh was received by foreign minister Zalmay Rassoul and defence minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and other senior officials at the Kabul International Airport.

A statement issued from the Presidential Palace quoted President Karzai as saying that Afghans with the help of the international community had been working hard to rebuild their country after decades of war. He said the global terrorism threatened their lives, peace, stability and development.

“Our people render sacrifices of their lives on a daily basis to protect their country in the fight against terrorism and there is a similar situation in Pakistan and India,” he said.

“This situation should come to an end, so our people can live in peace, a goal we can achieve with cooperation among the three countries,” Karzai said. Both India and Afghanistan were friends and people of the two countries enjoyed historic relations, he added.

“Afghans strongly believe that their Indian friends want an enduring peace and stability in Afghanistan and they support our each initiative for peace,” he said.

The Indian premier also assured Karzai of his country’s support toward peace in Afghanistan.

He insisted on cooperation between India and Afghanistan: “When we live together, we can achieve our goals together,” he said, adding India would continue to assist Afghanistan in diverse fields of life.

The quest of the Afghan people for peace, stability and reconciliation needs the full support of all countries in the region and the international community,” he said in a statement before leaving New Delhi.

Indiahas committed 1.3 billion dollars to Afghanistan for projects ranging from new roads and electricity lines to constructing a new parliament.

But the relationship has raised hackles in Islamabad, where the government and military establishment has long considered Afghanistan its own strategic asset to offset the perceived threat from India in the east.

Analysts say India’s tussle with Pakistan for influence in Afghanistan could sharpen as the United States begins cutting troop numbers from July with the aim of all foreign forces exiting the country by the end of 2014.

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